Journey to the Answer
by Wiitenmon64
Summary: Bonds are forged. A relationship is reborn. And the ultimate sacrifice is made. Relive the journey to its fated answer. A Persona 3 novelization.
1. Arrival

**Disclaimer: Persona 3 and all related material are properties of Atlus and Index Corporation. I do not in any way own the characters or story.**

**Author's Note: Thought I'd better update the A/N here since the old one didn't really give much of an introduction. So hello and welcome good reader to Journey to the Answer. As you've read on the summary, or blurb, this fic is a Persona 3 novelization. I'll be taking all the important parts of the story from the games and the movies, and basically remixing the scenes with some original sequences and dialogue. **

**The focus will be on the main cast, so the characters who represent Minato's Social Links other than the four girls of SEES will appear as cameos at most. My approach is to explore Minato's relationship with each member of SEES as much as possible and have them represent his Social Links. **

**As for the shipping, because I'm sure that's what you're here for, it will be between Minato and Mitsuru. Since I'm going to make this story realistic, their relationship will be one that continuously grows and have its share of ups and downs. So don't expect any fast confessions. **

**Updates will be fortnightly and I will try my best to keep to this schedule. If I'm late updating, it means either the chapter I'm working on is not cooperating, or I'm busy with life. **

**So that's all I wanted to say with regards to the fic. If you're liking it, feel free to review, comment, follow, favorite (yes that includes your bookmarks bar) or even PM if you have a question. If you feel it's not your thing, then thanks for the taking the time to have a look. **

**Either way, I hope you enjoy the show. **

* * *

The voice of the train's PA system was drowned out by the continuous clashing of drums that resonated in his headphones. Re-positioning his shoulder bag, he disembarked the train and made his way to the station's upper floor. The glow of a very pale moon greeted him, its rays cascading through the glass ceiling as he walked through the station. Even though the hour was late, there were still many locals hanging around. A couple of them stared at him as he passed by, probably at his unnatural cobalt blue hair and cool grey eyes, but he paid them no heed and focused on the beats that continued to rage in his ears.

Then the beats stopped.

And he stopped in his tracks as there was a flicker, and then a flash, like that of a faulty light globe, that plunged the entire station into darkness. The moon's pure white glow shifted to an eerie shade of dark green. He waited for his eyes to adjust before moving again, confused as to how a blackout could affect his MP3 player and annoyed that he had nothing to listen to. He silently cursed those new batteries (who could trust those damn bunnies?) and made his way to the station's exit.

The streets of Iwatodai were much quieter than he had expected. He reached into his blazer pocket and unfolded a document, inhaling the cold stagnant air that almost made him gag. He could see wisps of his breath as he followed the path he had scribbled onto the document's tiny map depicting Iwatodai, and tried not to notice the upright black coffins that reflected the moon's sickly glow, and the random puddles of blood that replaced what should have been puddles of water.

He stopped again as a blue butterfly fluttered in front of him, the slivers of evanescent lights on its wings shimmering in the dark. The butterfly twirled and circled before heading off down the street. He glanced at his map and realized that it was the same street he needed to pass through. He frowned at the coincidence, then shrugged. The night was already so strange. A little coincidence could not make the situation any stranger.

Upon reaching where he had marked his destination, he folded the form and placed it back into his blazer pocket, shooting a glance at the building that towered in front of him. He found it odd how such a building could be a student's dormitory and seeing it in person only reconfirmed the fact that it was property of the Kirijo Group. He ascended the few steps leading to the double doors and pushed the handle.

Compared to the dorm's exterior, the lobby was rather ordinary. An old antenna television faced the sofas arranged around an unremarkable coffee table a few meters in front of him, and behind that was an antique dining table. At the far end, he could make out a staircase that spiraled to the individual rooms above. Setting his shoulder bag down, he removed the clip-on headphones and let it hang around his neck.

"You're late," spoke a weird voice.

He froze.

That voice. It was familiar. But from where had he heard it? And when?

"I've been waiting a long time for you," the voice continued.

He looked to his left to see a pale young boy in black-and-white striped pajamas sitting atop the reception's chair, staring at him with large blue eyes. The young boy snapped his fingers and a red notebook, along with a quill, appeared on the desk.

"Now if you want to proceed, please sign your name there. It's a contract. Don't worry. All it says is that you'll accept full responsibility for your actions. You know, the usual stuff," the boy said, gesturing at the notebook.

He felt a pulling sensation, drawing him towards the notebook. Although he did not know who this boy was nor his intentions, he couldn't help but feel that he had experienced this before. His questions regarding the contract were waved off and the boy repeated his instructions in the same weird voice that should have sent shivers down his spine.

Fed up with trying to pry out any more information, he picked up the quill, dipped it in the ink, and swiftly signed his name onto the notebook which had opened up on its own. The young boy then collected the notebook and closed it.

"No one can escape time," the boy said. "It delivers us all to the same end. You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes."

The room's green glow faded to darkness and he watched as it engulfed the young boy.

"And so it begins," the boy said, before merging with the shadows.

He stood there, trying to process what just transpired. He had definitely seen that boy before. But any attempts at conjuring that particular memory of them meeting, or talking, sealed themselves away.

His concentration was broken as a strangled gasp shattered the silence and he froze again at the sound of a female voice.

"Who's there?" she called.

He slowly looked towards the direction of the voice and saw a slender young brunette eyeing him. His eyes moved towards her trembling arm, which had crept towards the handgun that was holstered and strapped to her right thigh.

_A handgun_ he thought. _What is a high school girl doing with a handgun?_

The intensity of her stare made him feel as if he had just murdered someone. He took a hesitant step forward and raised his hands to show he was not armed.

Her heavy breathing continued but finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. "D...Don't..."

He opened his mouth to speak but at that moment, she seized her gun and aimed.

Then, another voice pierced the silence.

"Takeba, wait!"

The brunette flinched and for a moment, he thought she had already pulled the trigger, and was waiting for the inevitable punch of the bullet.

It never came.

He opened his eyes to see the brunette holstering her gun and winced as the lights snapped back on. He sighed with relief, feeling his heart rate slow down to the norm. Once his vision adjusted to the brightness, he found himself looking into the curious eyes of the two ladies who stood before him.

The brunette was about a head shorter than he was, wearing a school uniform of a white blouse underneath a pink cardigan, a black miniskirt and knee high stockings. She was cute and looked to be the type of students that girls wanted to be and boys wanted to be with.

But it was the other girl that attracted his attention. There was something about her, something he couldn't quite place, that made her distinguishable from every other girl he had seen. Maybe it was her smooth, pale complexion that suited her uniform of a white blouse and a black loose skirt. Or her long dark red hair that complimented the red ribbon, tied in a bow, on her collar. Or those heeled leather boots that made her lissome figure as tall as he was. He held her gaze and found himself mesmerized by her eyes. Though ruby red, they shone with a level of serenity uncommon for a person her age.

"I apologize for that," the redhead said. "We didn't think you'd arrive at this time of hour." She gestured to the brunette. "Takeba here just moved in not too long ago so she hasn't fully acclimatized yet. With the way things have been recently, dorm security is taken very seriously."

"I see," he replied. He swallowed hard, still shaken he was held at gunpoint. "It is really so serious that firearms have to be placed in the hands of students?"

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions. But this isn't the time or place to discuss such things. Why don't you come in and make yourself comfortable?" She then shot a look at the brunette.

He could have sworn the brunette muttered something under her breath but ignored it as she hesitantly approached him.

"Welcome to the Iwatodai Dormitory," she said, bowing a little. "You must be Arisato Minato."

He nodded, bowing in return. "And you two are?"

"Kirijo Mitsuru," the redhead said. Indicating at the brunette, Mitsuru continued, "And this is Takeba Yukari. She'll be a junior this spring just like you."

"It's a pleasure," Minato said. _Kirijo? That name rings a bell._ _I wonder..._ "By the way, does anyone under our age live here?"

Mitsuru and Yukari exchanged glances.

"No one under the age of sixteen lives here, Mitsuru replied. "And none of the residents have siblings. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, just curious is all," Minato said, though his mind screamed otherwise.

_Where had that boy gone off to? _

"Well, if you don't have any more questions, please follow me. I'll show you to your room and briefly cover some details you need to know," Mitsuru said, turning on her heel.

Bidding goodnight to Yukari, he followed Mitsuru up the stairs.

Minato was no stranger to transfers. So many times he had been moved from one location to another that it almost became a routine for him. But if there was one that he would never forget, it would be tonight. The pools of blood, the green haze that was not pollution, and the upright coffins. Not to mention that butterfly and a student with a handgun. Something was not right. Iwatodai was not how he had remembered it to be. And the more he thought about it, the more his mind was flooded by a torrent of unanswered questions.


	2. Contact

Author's Note: Decided to upload this one a little earlier due to all the positive feedback. Also, just to clarify if you didn't catch it from the first Chapter, this is a Minato/Mitsuru fic.

* * *

To Minato's surprise, the details he needed to know turned out to be nothing more than the mundane matters of the dorm. Mitsuru had given him an informative lecture regarding those matters but he felt as though she was deliberately avoiding the issues he wanted answered. It couldn't be that she had no clue. Not after the way Yukari had acted. The brunette's overreaction told him she was preparing for something else to enter the dorm. And whatever it was, it had to be something that she was afraid of. Otherwise, why pull the gun on their new dorm mate when they expected him to arrive?

The questions in his mind continued to swirl even more when he opened the fridge to see it jam packed with cans of protein drinks and nothing else. Minato frowned at the contents before espying a silver haired teen walking towards him. He wore a slightly different version of the boys' uniform, with a red sweater vest that replaced the standard black blazer, on top of a white long sleeved shirt.

"So you're the new kid?" he said, reaching into the fridge. "I'm Sanada Akihiko. How ya doin'?

Akihiko seemed to be around the same age as Mitsuru (at least that's what Minato figured) and Minato introduced himself politely. He watched Akihiko guzzle down the protein drink and noticed his grey eyes never stopped to blink.

_He must be some kind of fighter_ Minato thought.

As he listened to Akihiko's briefing on topics that Mitsuru had not covered – such as the layout of Tatsumi Port Island and a couple of good restaurants in the area – Minato wondered if Akihiko was also avoiding the matter that had been on his mind since his arrival. He had to admit, Akihiko was doing a good job at diverting his attention to the housekeeping details for he only noticed Mitsuru entering the foyer with Yukari when he heard the sound of her heels clicking and clacking on the floor.

Mitsuru strode over to where he was. "Akihiko and Takeba will be accompanying you to school today. I've already spoken with the school administrators and everything should be taken care of. Just focus on getting used to your routine."

"Thanks Kirijo-senpai," Minato said with a slight bow. He thought the bow unnecessary but decided she deserved the respect. She had gone out of her way to make his transfer here as smooth as possible after all.

"Please, there's no need for such formality," Mitsuru replied with a chuckle. "We'll be dorm mates so just 'Mitsuru' is fine."

"Okay. Mitsuru-senpai then."

She nodded and he could feel her smile as he walked out the door with the others. It felt awkward to call someone he had known for less than a day in such a friendly manner but it did help clear some of the tension.

Gripping his shoulder bag, Minato followed Akihiko and Yukari through the bustling streets of Iwatodai and to the train station. As distant as Tatsumi Port Island was, the journey to school did not take long and they were soon at the front gate. He heard that this school was very prestigious and now that he was standing at its gates, the view of it he saw from the small windows of the train really did it no justice.

For Gekkoukan High School was massive.

The pathway leading to the entrance brimmed with a sense of welcome in the warmth of the spring sunlight. Birds sang happily in the two lines of blooming cherry blossom trees that ran all the way down the path's edge to the school. Some of the pink petals lazily tumbled down to the earth, a light breeze angling their trajectory.

Minato could feel them landing in his hair and he lightly shook his head to remove them. In doing so, he noticed several groups of students watching him like a lion watching its prey. When he met their gaze, they quickly turned their backs and began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Well this is it," Yukari said, catching his attention. "Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. Hope you like it."

Minato looked at the majestic entrance and took in its grandiose. Polished windows stood behind the three pillars that guarded the entrance, with the main building of the school seeming to stretch both ways for about a kilometre, the paint a pristine white.

_As expected by something commissioned by the Kirijo Group_ he thought.

He had expected that settling in would be slow but as soon as Akihiko and Yukari led him into the lobby, which would have held the same level of grandness if it weren't for the number of students in the area, more than half the students made sure to clear a path for them. Minato kept his eyes forward, avoiding all the curious eyes and the pointing fingers. He had assumed that his two dorm mates would be popular but not to this extent.

"Does _that_ happen often?" Minato asked once they were well out of earshot of any other students.

"No, not really," Yukari replied. She looked a little troubled. "But I suppose we are some kind of role models here. Though I'm not sure where everyone got that idea from."

She glanced at Akihiko who grunted in agreement.

"Well, I had better get going," Akihiko said. "There are some things I need to take care of. Takeba here will show you to your homeroom and help you get set up. You're both in the same class so just follow her lead." He turned to Yukari. "Make sure you do show him around. I don't think either of us wants to be lectured by Mitsuru on how we didn't follow her orders."

"Sure thing," Yukari said.

"Good. I'll see you guys back at the dorm, if not on break," Akihiko said before heading down the nearby corridor.

Once he was out of sight, Minato followed Yukari up the stairs and around the many hallways, processing the information regarding where which rooms were among other things. He was surprised that she was oblivious to the many eyes that were on them.

"...And that concludes the tour. Do you have any questions?" Yukari asked as they reached their homeroom.

Minato shook his head.

"Great. I just need to check in at the archery club. I'll see you back here in about fifteen minutes," Yukari said, turning on her heel.

It would be the longest fifteen minutes of his life.

Not a minute before he could take a step into his homeroom, he felt someone clamp his right arm.

A female student.

_ Uh oh._

"Are you a friend of Akihiko-senpai?" she asked. Her eyes were already large but they had seemed to grow in size as she pulled him forward. They were not adorable either.

"Do you mind?" Minato asked as he brushed her off but it was to no avail. She continued to hold his arm and pressure him with that intense, fervent look on her face.

"You must be a friend of Akihiko-senpai," she continued in what Minato thought to be a rather deliberate loud voice. Apparently she had no notion that clinging onto him like this was a problem. "Only a friend of his could walk with him, or even talk with him."

"Look, I think you need to–" Minato started.

"Did I just hear that he's friends with Akihiko-senpai?" another nearby girl shrieked, rushing over.

The girl's shrill voice alerted every other girl in the vicinity and soon, Minato found himself with his back against a wall, surrounded by a number of them.

"What's he like off campus?"

"How long have you guys known each other?"

"Can you introduce me to him?"

The barrage of questions never ended and because he was the new kid and had the luck of the devil, he noticed a group of male students approaching him. Scanning their faces, they appeared to be the same group that had shot jealous glances at him as he followed Yukari around.

"Hey, you came here with Yukari-senpai didn't you?" one of the guys asked.

Minato bit his tongue and remained silent. He could feel his temper rising but knew nothing good would come out of throwing it at them.

"Hang on a second, Yukari-senpai now lives in the same dorm as Akihiko-senpai right?" another guy pointed out. "So if this guy came with them then... Whoa. This dude lives with Yukari-senpai. Hey man, tell us. What's it like?"

Minato glanced at the girls on his right, and then at the boys on his left. He was completely surrounded. There would be no way of escaping without having his reputation tarnished. But as the etiquette of giving a good first impression had just jumped out the window, he decided there was no other choice. He prepared himself to forcefully shove them out of the way, and almost did so if it weren't for the voice that arose from the homeroom's entrance.

"Look if he doesn't know, he doesn't know," the voice said.

Minato searched for the source of the voice and saw a student wearing a baseball cap and a purple shirt under his blazer. He strode over, breaking through the fortress of students and joined Minato's side.

"Now come on, give the newbie a break," he said.

The group surrounding them groaned and slowly broke up. Minato heard them muttering that they would ask him next time. He really hoped that there would not be a next time but knew it was akin to winning the lottery. There would definitely be a next time.

Once they had all left, Minato turned towards the unfamiliar face and eyed him.

"I don't suppose you would like to know about the daily life of Yukari and Akihiko now would you?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Who me?" the student said. "Nah. Those idiots were just making a loud fuss so I came outside to shut them up. You must be the new transfer student. Name's Iori Junpei. Nice to meet ya."

Minato breathed a sigh of relief. Finally. Someone who was not crazy.

"Likewise. Arisato Minato," he greeted, outstretching his hand. "And thanks."

"No problem man," Junpei said, shaking his hand. "I transferred here last year so I know how tough it is being the new kid."

"Are students here always like this?"

"If ya mean head over heels for Akihiko-senpai and Yuka-tan..."

Junpei trailed off as Yukari approached.

"What's this about being head over heels for me?" she asked with a stern look.

"No-Nothing," Junpei said sheepishly. "Just introducing myself to the new guy, that's all."

Yukari sighed. "Sure you were. I swear, you'll talk to anyone if they'll listen. Did you ever think that you might be bothering someone?"

"What? But I was just being friendly."

Yukari turned to Minato, who nodded in agreement and hastily explained what had happened while she was gone.

"If you say so," Yukari said once Minato finished.

Minato and Junpei exchanged glances. She thought they were bluffing.

"By the way, I heard you two were walking around the school together. What's up with that?" Junpei asked with a smirk.

"Wh-What are you talking about?!" Yukari exclaimed. "I was just showing him around the school."

Junpei raised an eyebrow.

"Listen, we just live in the same dorm," Yukari said. She was clearly exasperated. "There's nothing going on, okay? I just met him yesterday and there's absolutely nothing between us! Why are people even talking about it? Come on, class is going to start soon." She then entered the homeroom.

"Ah, who cares?" Junpei said, turning to Minato. "No one takes rumours seriously anyway. She's so paranoid. But man, you ain't been here for more than an hour and people are already talking about you! You must have really done something to get everyone so riled up! Heh, this is going to be a fun year. I can feel it!"

Taking his seat in the classroom, Minato could not agree more. Though he was sure that his definition of fun was opposite to what Junpei had in mind. He sighed, wondering if this was just another scheme laid out by fate. He had never in his life wanted to stand under the spotlight but it always happened to fall on him whether he liked it or not. And now that many students knew he had some connection to both Akihiko and Yukari, any form of anonymity would be impossible to conjure.

He was not just _a_ transfer student.

He was _the_ transfer student who had magically acquainted himself with two standouts of the student body.

He supposed it could be worse. At the very least, being questioned was tolerable, and it also meant he would not be chased by a horde of girls. He just hoped he did not have to play the role of the third wheel. He swore that if it ever came to that, he would shoot himself in the head. Maybe he could use Yukari's gun. He chuckled at the thought as he pulled out his books.

That reminded him.

What was with those guns?


	3. Velvet

Mitsuru never understood what people meant when they said they ran out of time to do things. The number of commitments she had dedicated herself to was enough to make any other student instantly collapse under the burden, and it always puzzled her at how others could not complete even the simplest of tasks. Surely if they put some effort in they would get somewhere. It had always worked for her. But alas, she was the Kirijo heiress who also happened to be the Student Council President. By definition she was supposed to be the embodiment of perfection, unrivaled in both beauty and intellect.

She sighed and leaned back into the sofa in her room, wondering if applying to be the leader of the student body was the right decision. Her term as President had only lasted a couple of days and she was already beginning to see that the privilege was not really worth it at all. It was not the number of responsibilities the role entailed. She could handle those fine. Rather, it was the way other students behaved whenever she interacted with them. It seemed that everyone felt obliged to treat her with the utmost respect. And while she didn't mind it in small doses, the fact that it happened all the time made being President a living nightmare. Couldn't they see her as a regular student like everyone else? Nothing more and nothing less?

She wondered what it would be like to live as someone who was not shackled by a family name. It would certainly make for an intriguing experience.

As would the cup of tea she was brewing. She decided to skip her usual Darjeeling today and instead try out a different blend. Chamomile. The one she had despised of as a little girl. She remembered when she was younger how she could never get past that flowery scent. _But tea isn't supposed to taste like flowers father_ she had said. Mitsuru smiled at the memory. Oh how naive and inexperienced she was. She still considered herself so but it was a part of her that she could not afford to show anyone.

_Perhaps being President isn't so bad _she thought.

Mitsuru cast her memories aside for now and focused on that flowery scent. It seemed much more tolerable this time round. In fact, it had a beautiful, refreshing aroma. She could not believe she hadn't noticed it until now and brought the cup to her lips to take a sip.

Then there was a knock on her door.

"Kirijo-senpai?" It was Yukari's voice. "The Chairman wants to speak with you. He's downstairs."

"Alright, I'll be there in a minute," she replied, placing the cup down onto the glass table in front of her.

_Looks like that's the end of this free session._

Straightening her skirt and adjusting the curls in her hair, she exited the room and proceeded down the hallway. The Chairman had taken a surprising interest in Minato which she found odd. And suspicious.

When she arrived at the lobby, she saw the Chairman seated on the arrangement of sofas and conversing with Yukari. As she had expected, he was wearing the same plain tan suit he always wore.

"Ah Mitsuru, there you are. I'm sorry if I had disturbed you but I just wanted to check with you on how our new guest is going," he said, pushing his glasses up as she approached. "Were there any issues?"

"Mr Chairman," Mitsuru greeted, taking a seat. "There were no problems regarding his transfer here. From our observations, he's behaving exactly how his profile described him."

"Well that's good to hear."

"You'd also be happy to know that we have some confirmation on his 'potential'. He arrived here during the Dark Hour and wasn't transmogrified into a coffin."

The Chairman opened his mouth to reply but at that moment, the front door opened and Minato strode in, inclining his head in greeting.

"Welcome back Arisato," Mitsuru said. "I trust your first day went well?" She saw his face light up momentarily when he met her gaze. Or, she thought she did.

"Let's just say it could have been worse," he replied, glancing at Yukari who returned him a stern look. He then crossed over to where the Chairman was sitting and introduced himself.

The Chairman shook his hand. "My name is Ikutsuki Shuji. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school. I apologize about the confusion regarding your accommodations. We didn't receive your schedule due to technical issues so your arrival here last night caught everyone off guard. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

"No, I'm quite alright," Minato said. "Mitsuru-senpai and the others have already explained most of what I need to know."

"Well then, I hope you have a successful school year," Ikutsuki said as he stood up. He didn't move for a few moments, his eyes still inspecting Minato. "Hmm, you look tired. You should go to bed early. As they say, 'The early bird catches the bookworm!'"

A cloud of awkward silence formed as he left his joke hanging and even though Mitsuru had heard far worse from him before, it was still hard not to cringe. _Perhaps I should have told him about this_. Mitsuru glanced at Minato, ignoring Yukari's sigh of exasperation, and was surprised to see him indifferent.

Minato then turned to address them after Ikutsuki left. "So, he has an interesting sense of humor."

"Interesting? More like lame," Yukari said, leaning into the cushion, clearly relieved at Ikutsuki's absence.

"Don't worry about it," Mitsuru said, causing Minato to look at her. "It's something you'll get used to over time."

Minato nodded in response and suppressing a yawn, he walked off to his room. Once they heard the faint sound of his door closing, Mitsuru stood up. It was time to see whether or not he had the potential.

* * *

"Is this really necessary senpai?" Yukari asked, watching Mitsuru flip a switch which loaded up the monitor in front of her.

A few hours had passed and it was almost midnight. Yukari was with both Mitsuru and Akihiko in the command room on the dorm's highest floor. The room itself resembled the lobby somewhat, with an arrangement of sofas around a wooden coffee table and old fashioned red drapes covering the windows, but that was where the similarities ended. On the left side from the entrance was a large monitor, capable of displaying recordings from each of the security cameras installed in every room of the dorm. Currently, it was showing Minato's room and he was sound asleep.

"Even though he arrived during the Dark Hour and wasn't a coffin, I need visual confirmation as to whether he would transmogrify into one," Mitsuru answered, looking at the screen intently.

Yukari turned to Akihiko, who was standing by the sofas.

"For Mitsuru, having solid evidence is a must. You could tell her everything she needed to know but she won't believe any of it till she sees it for real," Akihiko said, smiling.

Mitsuru shot a quick glance at Akihiko that would have made any other person want to eat their words. He just kept on smiling.

Yukari shifted her eyes towards the monitor, feeling ashamed. It felt wrong to spy on him like this. Even if it were to confirm a certain fact that she had a feeling was correct. This was intrusion without consent. She wondered if Mitsuru and Akihiko had done the same to her upon her arrival when the door opened.

"So, how's he doing?" Ikutsuki asked, closing the door behind him.

"He went to bed a little while ago," Mitsuru replied, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Mr Chairman, do you think he's...?"

"Well, let's wait and see for now. The Dark Hour is approaching."

Seconds after he spoke, Yukari felt the temperature drop. The warmth of the spring evening disappeared and the chills of winter took its place. The ceiling lights and monitor flickered before stabilizing themselves. Although they were safe in the dorm, Yukari could never shake off the uneasiness that came over her when the Dark Hour arrived. She knew that both Mitsuru and Akihiko had been at this for quite some time but it still amazed her at how easily they ignored the shift. Didn't it feel wrong for them too?

They waited a few minutes, silently observing the screen to see if anything would happen. Nothing did.

"Hmm. He's asleep but he's definitely experiencing the Dark Hour," Ikutsuki said. "He's managed to retain his human form so now the only question remains is whether or not he has the potential. Although, he must. If he didn't, they would've preyed on him by now."

Yukari shuddered at the thought. She had heard what could happen to those who failed to turn into coffins.

"In any case, we should continue to monitor him for a few more days," Ikutsuki continued.

Everyone nodded in compliance and turned their attention back to the monitor as he left.

"Well, I'm going out for a bit," Akihiko said, causing Mitsuru and Yukari to look at him curiously. He leaned off the sofa and strode to the exit. "Didn't you see the newspaper? There's a lot going on."

"I know," Mitsuru replied with a troubled look. "People who had no problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome. They say it's due to stress but–"

"Yeah right. It has to be THEM. Otherwise, it's not worth my time."

"You have a one-track mind. Will you be okay on your own?"

"Don't worry," Akihiko said, punching his fists together. "I'm just getting a little practice."

Watching him leave, Yukari turned her attention to Mitsuru. "He does know that this isn't a game right?"

"To Akihiko, everything is a game," Mitsuru said, turning off the monitor.

Although she did not show it, Yukari could see that Mitsuru was worried. Akihiko's display of confidence made her think about when she would have to fight them. Glancing at her holstered gun reminded her of the many attempts she had tried to use it. Her senpai said it was simple. All she had to do was point it to her head and pull the trigger. So why was it so difficult?

* * *

The color of deep blue. It was the only thing Minato could see as he surveyed his surroundings. It covered the floor, the walls and even the ceiling. But not the back wall, surprisingly enough. That was a chain-linked fence with a large clock engraved in the center. The way it gave off the illusion of an upward motion reminded him of being in an elevator. Peeling his eyes away from the fence, he looked around again and realized he really was in an elevator of some kind. How in the world did he get here? He only remembered returning to his room early after the tiring day and then falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Was this a dream?

His eyes then fell onto the old man who was seated in front of him across a clothed table. The man was hunched over and rested his chin on his clasped white gloved hands. His attire wasn't anything remarkable, a typical black suit, but his unusually long nose most certainly was.

Standing beside him was a young woman with short white hair holding onto a large encyclopedia of some sort. Her features were not cute like Yukari, or exceptionally striking as Mitsuru, but she was still beautiful, albeit in a different way. Perhaps it was the fact that she looked like a stewardess, with her elaborate blue dress. She returned his gaze with a blank stare of her own.

_Who are these people? _

"Where am I?" Minato asked.

The man then opened his eyes and Minato flinched. He had never seen eyes of this kind before. Bulging and bloodshot, he could feel them staring through his skull.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear young man," the old man said. "My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance." He then gestured towards the young woman. "This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like me."

"Pleased to meet you," Elizabeth said, bowing gracefully.

"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It's been years since we've had a guest," Igor said. He waved a hand and a notebook appeared, floating down like a feather onto the table in front of him.

It was the same notebook that the young boy at the reception desk had produced.

"Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place. Henceforth, you shall be welcome here. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return, that you abide by the contract and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

_My unique ability? What is he talking about?_

"Is this a dream?" Minato asked.

"Indeed it is. You are fast asleep in the real world as we speak. However, you will come here of your own accord, sooner or later," Igor answered. He gestured to Elizabeth, who walked over to Minato and handed him a blue key.

As soon as he took it, he was blinded by a white light. His consciousness returned to his body and he awoke with a start, feeling something in his hand. Sitting up in his bed, he opened his hand to reveal a key. So this Igor was telling the truth and it was not some dream gone wild. He did not know whether to feel relieved or anxious at that. Probably the latter. Knowing he would not get any more sleep, he stored the key in one of his blazer's chest pockets and decided to prepare for school. At least that was still one aspect of his new life that was not strange.


	4. Awakening

Author's Note: I hope everyone is enjoying my adaptation so far. Just a note that I will be incorporating some aspects of The Answer in future chapters.

* * *

Feeling refreshed, Yukari closed the door to the bathroom and ascended the stairs. Mitsuru had told her that they would be monitoring him for the next few days and that meant staying up until the Dark Hour arrived. Unfortunately, it also meant she would be getting less sleep than the average person, something that she was not fond of.

_Can't she just monitor him by herself? Or with Akihiko-senpai?_

As she reached the second floor, she looked down the hallway and to the last room on the right. Minato's room. She still felt bad that they were treating him like a lab rat and part of her just wanted to run into his room and tell him he was being watched. She almost did so if it were not for the other part of her reminding the consequences of disobeying orders.

Instilled with the fear of Mitsuru's fabled 'execution', she hastily climbed the stairs to the fourth floor and entered the command room to find Ikutsuki chatting with Mitsuru.

"His behavior hasn't change since last night," Mitsuru was saying.

"Very interesting," Ikutsuki replied. "Even those who have the potential tend to be unstable at first and suffer from memory loss or disorientation. But he's rather unique in not exhibiting any of the common symptoms."

Suddenly, there was a beep on the panel below the monitor. Mitsuru flipped a switch, enabling communications between the room and anyone with a transceiver.

"Command room," Mitsuru said. "Is that you Akihiko?"

"Mitsuru? You're not gonna believe this. This thing is huge! But, I don't have time to talk. It's chasing me. I wanted to let you guys know, I'm almost there," Akihiko said between breaths.

His transmission then cut off.

"Does that mean he's bringing that thing here?" Yukari asked, feeling the color drain from her face.

"It seems so," Mitsuru said, turning to Ikutsuki. "Mr Chairman, we'll have to suspend our observation for now. Please wait here until the matter is settled."

Ikutsuki nodded and Yukari followed Mitsuru out the room. The time had finally come. Yukari was dreading the day that she would have to fight them and now that she had to, she was even more frightened. As she followed Mitsuru downstairs to the lobby, she couldn't help but shoot nervous glances at her holstered gun. What if she wasn't able to do it? What if she were responsible for getting her senpai injured?

The negative thoughts continued to cascade in her mind but she had no time to dwell on them when Akihiko entered, slamming the door shut behind him. He slumped down and leaned against the door, clutching his side in pain.

Yukari and Mitsuru approached to help him but he waved them off.

"I'm alright," Akihiko said, still breathing heavily. "Get ready to be surprised. It'll be here any second."

"This is no time to joke around!" Mitsuru snapped.

"Is it one of them senpai?" Yukari asked.

"Yes, but not an ordinary–" Akihiko started before the ground began to shake.

The force of the vibration was strong, enough to send Yukari and Mitsuru stumbling into a nearby sofa. Using the sofa as a means of steadying herself, Yukari glanced at Mitsuru who had pulled out her gun.

"Takeba, go upstairs and wake him up! Then, escape out the back," Mitsuru said.

"But what about you two?" Yukari asked.

"We'll have to stop it here. You led it to us Akihiko, so I'm afraid you'll have to fight."

"Like I had a choice!" Akihiko growled, hauling himself up. "What are you waiting for Yukari? Go!"

Yukari immediately dashed to the end of the hallway on the second floor. She could not believe it. All this time she had thought the dorm was the one place she would be safe. Where _they_ would not be able to access. But now, it seemed nowhere was safe.

* * *

He had felt the ground shake. He had heard Mitsuru shout orders. So when Yukari burst into his room and yanked him out of bed, Minato complied without any qualms. They quickly made their way back down the stairs, past the dining table and to the back door. A beep startled them as they arrived and Yukari raised a hand to her collar and enabled her transceiver.

"Takeba, do you read me?"

It was Mitsuru's voice.

"Y-Yes! I hear you!" Yukari answered.

"Be careful. There's more than one enemy. The one we're fighting isn't the one Akihiko saw!"

The lights fizzled out as the transmission cut off and Minato seized Yukari's arm, pulling her away from the back door. She gasped and pulled back from his hold.

"What?!" she exclaimed.

Minato pointed towards the back door and after a few seconds, there were several loud knocks.

"It's not safe here," he said. "Is there anywhere else we can go?"

He could not make out her face in the darkness but knew she was trembling with fear.

"I-If they're downstairs, th-then we can only go up," Yukari said. "To the roof."

She then grabbed his arm and lead him back to the stairs. Once they reached the highest floor of the dorm, they stopped to catch their breaths. Minato glimpsed out one of the windows and noticed that there were black pillars outside, arranged in a zigzag pattern. Upon closer inspection, a daunting blue mask held by a black hand rose to greet him. He recoiled, blinking to ensure it was not some hallucination. When he realized it really wasn't, he froze in shock.

What was this...thing?

And why was it staring at him with a sense of familiarity?

He heard Yukari shouting, telling him to move out of the way, but as hard as he tried, he could not. Paralyzed with fear (or perhaps just pure disbelief at the events unfolding), he watched as the thing raised one of its many hands and smashed through the window in an attempt to grab him. Shards of glass sprayed everywhere as he felt Yukari tackle him to the ground, and the thing retracted its hand.

_That was too close. _

Yukari helped Minato to his feet and the two stormed their way through the rooftop exit door, locking it.

"I think we're okay for now," Yukari said. "Are you alright?"

Minato nodded in response. "What was that?" he asked, still shaken.

Before Yukari could reply, the ground shook once more. The vibration seemed to have spawned from behind them. They turned around and paled as they observed their assailant climb onto the far end of the roof, its many hands now brandishing sinister blades that reflected the yellow glow of the moon. In the middle of all its limbs was the hand that held the blue mask. It spotted them after a quick survey of the roof and began to close the distance between them in a fanatic crawl.

Minato glanced at Yukari and watched as she pulled out her gun and reluctantly placed it to her head. _What is she doing? Exactly how is killing yourself going to help right now?_

"To answer your question, these monsters... We call them Shadows!" Yukari said, pulling the trigger.

Transparent energy columns began to materialize around her and Minato could see the silhouette of a girl forming. Unfortunately, she had been too late in summoning whatever it was because the Shadow had already reached them. With one swift swing of its arm, Yukari was knocked aside into a puddle of blood, her gun flying into the air and landing at Minato's feet. He watched as the Shadow turned its lifeless gaze on him and moved in position to strike.

A white light flashed across his eyes. He could still see the Shadow in front of him but for some reason, its movements became sluggish.

Then, a familiar voice whispered in his mind.

"Go on," it said.

The voice was that of the weird young boy in striped pajamas. Visions of him appeared in a kaleidoscopic fashion, his hypnotic eyes gesturing to pick up the gun. Minato knelt, retrieved the gun from his feet, and placed the cold barrel against his temple.

As soon as he did so, something stirred inside him. It raged like an angry beast trapped in a cage and the sensation made him feel sick.

And euphoric.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the stench of pollution mixed with fresh blood and the night's mist. It was a futile attempt to calm his nerves as the scent only intensified the calling.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the intermittent whispers of the ethereal voice. He could hear his heart beating in anticipation of the next call; the pulses of blood in his veins reverberating in a steady rhythm. When the whispers crescendoed into a mellow male voice, he saw a man kneeling in front of a grave.

Or what appeared to be a man anyway. While his head was organic, with snow white hair, the rest of him, or 'it', was completely synthetic. Cradling his lyre affectionately, his hands plucked away at the strings, the melancholic sounds in tune with his singing.

Then, the man stopped and looked at him. Minato stared into the intense gaze of the man's red eyes and was surprised that the stare was not one of confusion or annoyance. It was instead, one of familiarity, as if they had known each other since childhood. Minato then realized what all this meant. What this being was waiting for.

_He's waiting for me to..._

Snapping his eyes open, Minato returned to reality to see the Shadow poised to strike. He should have been filled with dread but he was completely calm. As his index finger slowly squeezed the trigger, images of that man flickered. He knew who this was, and he knew what he had to do.

"Per...

Minato pulled–

"so...

–the trigger and–

"na!"

–his mind shattered.

Bars of blue light rose from the ground and Minato felt a wave of stress being released. He lowered the gun, breathing heavily. He did not need to look behind him to see if _he_ had appeared. He knew _he_ was there.

"_Thou art I. And I am thou. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, master of strings_," the Persona voiced telepathically.

For a few seconds, Minato stood there, watching the Shadow take a few steps back. Whatever sense of danger he had felt before was replaced by a burning desire to kill. He shot his arm forward, directing Orpheus to attack but stopped halfway as ripples of pain flowed across his body. Orpheus felt it as well and convulsed violently until he imploded.

Taking his place, was something far more demonic. Covered in a black robe with a hawk-like face, the new Persona lunged at the Shadow, outstretching its eight chain-linked coffins like an eagle spreading its wings.

The Shadow's mask was sliced in half by the Persona's katana and the Shadow itself split apart. Its writhing remains were grabbed by the new Persona, who compressed it until it burst. Black blood sprayed in all directions but Minato was too busy clenching his head in pain to take any notice of it splattering on his uniform.

The pain then subsided as Orpheus reappeared in a flash and for a moment, Minato had control. He commanded Orpheus to blast the several smaller Shadows that had tagged along with the larger one. Bright red flames lashed out as Orpheus strummed his harp and the Shadows melted instantly.

As the last Shadow melted to a puddle of goo, Orpheus dissipated and Minato felt the pain shoot back into his body. This time, the convulsion was too much. The last thing he heard was Yukari's voice before all went to black.


	5. Hangover

A/N: Hey all, back with another chapter. I know it's a little shorter than usual but hopefully it'll be enough till the next update, which will be based on a scene from The Answer.

* * *

A hangover was something Minato had yet to experience but with no energy, a churning stomach and a migraine, he was sure that he was quite close to having one. Although how he obtained it in the first place still puzzled him. He had only turned Yukari's gun on himself and pulled the trigger to summon that _thing_ that went on to destroy the other _things_. So how did all these symptoms pop up? It made no sense.

He opened his eyes slightly to see the spinning blades of the ceiling fan. Even though its rotations were slow, the motion was enough to make him dizzy. He then closed his eyes, trying to settle in that bubble of tranquility. It was much harder than he thought and the fact that his senses were still very sensitive did nothing to alleviate the situation. Whispers outside sounded like shouts, and the chemicals from some antiseptic were so pungent that inhaling only added to the discomfort in his stomach.

There was also perfume in the air.

That was strange. Why would there be perfume in a hospital? Maybe it belonged to one of the nurses that had been assigned to him. Yes, it had to be.

"You're awake!"

The voice was so loud it made Minato's ears rings and he turned to his left to see Yukari sitting beside him. So that was the source of the perfume. He would have glared at her for startling him but decided it was not worth the effort. _And here I thought it was some nurse. _

"Do...you mind...just...speaking softer?" Minato said, propping himself up to lean against the pillows.

"Oh sorry," she replied, hushing her tone. "Is this better?"

Minato nodded and she sighed.

"It's so good to see you come around," she said. "The doctor said you were just exhausted but you kept sleeping and sleeping."

"Really? How long have I been asleep?" Minato asked.

"A whole week! We were worried you weren't going to wake. I guess you're still feeling the after effects."

"You could say that I suppose. By the way, did you happen to write down the name of that cocktail I ordered? Because I won't be drinking that again."

Yukari gave him an odd look and raised an eyebrow.

"Cocktail?" she said. "You do remember what happened that night don't you?"

"Of course I do. I was just trying not to," he replied. _Why does she have to be such a killjoy?_

"Okay..." Yukari said. She was not amused at all. "Anyway, I just came to check up on you because Mitsuru-senpai and the Chairman couldn't make it. They want to know if you remember what happened."

Minato shifted to a more comfortable position and felt some of his energy return.

"Well, I recall that those things in the masks – you called them 'Shadows' – were attacking us and knocked you unconscious," he said. "I then picked up your gun and pulled the trigger. But instead of killing myself, I summon this weird thing that went on a rampage and destroyed all the Shadows. Was that supposed to happen?"

Yukari opened her mouth, then closed it. She was surprised at the clarity of his memory. "Yeah, that's about right," she said. "And as to your question, I'm not too sure. I mean, it's normal to summon a Persona when you use an Evoker, but I'm not sure if that deal with another Persona ripping apart the first was 'normal'."

Minato shot her a questioning look. _Persona? Evoker?_

"Don't worry if you don't understand," Yukari continued. "We'll explain everything later when you're fully recovered. Speaking of that, how are you feeling?"

Minato took a breath before answering. His stomach had settled somewhat and his head felt clearer. He could have sworn it was Yukari's perfume that was easing his grogginess.

"Let's just say I feel like I've had way too much to drink. Alcohol, that is," Minato replied.

"Still going with the hangover analogies? Have you even been hung-over before?" Yukari asked.

"Not at all."

Yukari suppressed a smile and sighed. "You're pretty weird, you know that? I didn't think you'd have the guts to joke about something this serious."

Minato shrugged.

"Well, thanks for being there," Yukari said. She chuckled. "So much for me trying to protect you. I completely messed up."

"You did what you could. And honestly, it's not your fault," Minato replied.

"But–"

"It's not your fault. Don't worry about it."

He gazed into her auburn eyes and after a while, she looked away, tinges of pink on her cheeks.

"O-Okay. But I owe you one," she said, standing up. "Anyway, I should get going. I'll go let the others know you're awake."

Minato nodded and with a yawn, he lay back onto the pillows. As she strode over to the doorway, she turned on her heel and faced him again.

"Hey, can I confess something?" she asked. She sounded serious.

Not wanting to risk tripping the wire that would ignite the torrent of discomfort, Minato remained still and just gestured for her to continue.

"I'm sorry I didn't mention it before but I... I wanted to tell you that, I'm like you," she said.

"What do you mean?" Minato asked.

"I had a...peek at your profile and, I already know about your past. About how your...parents died in that car accident on Moonlight Bridge."

Minato leaned forward again and tensed a little as he waited for any signs of discomfort to come springing to life. There was none. Lucky.

"Oh you don't have to be shy about that," he said. "It happened a long time ago and I don't remember much of it. So if you're thinking that it's going to rile me up, trust me, it's not. I'm guessing you're alone too?"

"Kind of. My mother is still alive but we aren't on good terms," Yukari replied. "And my father... Well, he died in an accident when I was little. I'm sure you heard of the big explosion in Tatsumi Port Island back in '99. Supposedly, my father died in the blast but nobody really knows what happened. He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group. Since the Group took you in after your parents' accident, I was wondering if you know anything about them that might help me find out something. Like maybe, you knew Mitsuru-senpai before now."

A memory raced across Minato's mind as Yukari spoke those words. It was so fast and before he knew it, it was gone. Was what Yukari said the truth? That he had some past acquaintance with Mitsuru?

Minato frowned. He had only met Mitsuru the other week. So it couldn't be. Yet why did he get the feeling he had known her before? He shook his head and filed the thought away. He would deal with it later. It hurt too much to think.

"I'm pretty sure I've never met Mitsuru-senpai before," he said. "From what I can remember, the only exposure to the Group I've had were some medical check-ups, a transfer to a school – not Gekkoukan – and them giving me accommodation. I haven't the faintest idea of what their plans were, or are now."

"I see. Well, thanks for answering. Take it easy okay? I'll see you later," Yukari replied, leaving before Minato could utter another word.

Her hasty departure signaled that she was not at all satisfied with his answers. _Well that's what she gets when she asks someone with a hangover. _As he watched the fan's blades continue their endless loop, he pondered on why Yukari would ask such a thing. She obviously had some suspicions about the Kirijo Group and the fact that her father had died working for them reassured those suspicions. After all, it seemed that she was rather reluctant to check up on him. It felt...forced.

Minato closed his eyes. Until he received some solid answers as to what this return to Iwatodai was for, he would take everything with a grain of salt. His last thought before a nurse opened his door was whether or not coming home was worth it.


	6. Purpose

A/N: And here is my first chapter using material from The Answer. For those of you who haven't played or seen it, be warned that spoilers follow.

* * *

The central hub of Paulownia Mall was noisy. People talking and laughing, the constant rushing of water from the three fountains, the ringing of cutlery from the several cafes scattered around. It filled the ears of everyone in the area. Everyone, except Junpei. Watching the young boy across the mall ask his father for a coin to throw in the 'wishing' fountain, and having that request granted, the sounds around him were muffled. Why couldn't his father be someone like that? Responsible, caring, someone he could look up to. It was not that much to ask for.

_Stupid old man _he thought. _How low do you have to be to get drunk on cooking wine?_

Shifting his gaze away from the happy family, he wondered whether he could have prevented his father from being an alcoholic when a white Shiba Inu approached him.

"Yo, 'sup pooch? Here to join my 'Nowhere To Go' after-school club?" Junpei said, not caring if it was weird to be talking to a stray dog in public.

The dog barked happily in response and nuzzling against his shin, it gave him a pleading look.

"Sorry, I don't have any food for ya. Y'know, haven't I seen you around here before?"

The dog barked again and Junpei heard someone call his name. He looked up to see two classmates approaching.

"Hey man, why the long face?" the taller of the two asked. "Are you that sad we're in different homerooms now?"

"Still dumb as rocks aren't ya?" Junpei replied, shaking his head. "Wait, isn't it way past your dorm curfew? What're you guys doing out so late?"

"Oh we just snuck out using the secret exit. Hey, we're going to Club Escapade. Wanna come with? I'm helping this guy drown his sorrows over a girl."

The taller student yanked the arm of his companion, who immediately denied his failure in asking a girl out.

"Well that's what you get for going after someone like Takeba Yukari," the tall student said. He turned his attention back to Junpei. "Although, I never expected her to hook up with that new transfer student. I guess she likes that dark side of his."

Junpei raised an eyebrow. Apart from the fact that Minato had somehow fallen sick for a week, there did not seem to be any oddities about him. _Falling sick for a week is pretty strange though. _

"Dark? He's pretty normal," Junpei said.

"No, I'm serious. That transfer kid? Rumor has it both his parents died when he was little. Someone got a peek at his file when Toriumi-sensei left it lying around," the taller student replied.

_ These idiots and their bloody rumors. _"Man you're so gullible. That kinda stuff only happens in movies."

"Hey, I did say it was a rumor. But anyway, let's get going! You snooze, no booze!"

"Booze?" Junpei asked, his expression darkening. "I think I'm gonna pass."

"What's the matter? C'mon, why don't you live a little–"

"I said I'm gonna pass!" he exclaimed, standing up. When he realized that several onlookers were eyeing him, he backed down. "I just...ain't in the mood."

"Whatever," his classmate said, turning on his heel and dragging his friend along towards the club.

Junpei watched them disappear into the bar. _Booze? Really? They're not even of age yet!_ He looked down at the floor and was surprised that the dog was still standing by his feet. It seemed to approve of his declination. As he extended his left arm to pat the dog's head, his right arm reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

"Man, I had better get going," he muttered to himself upon seeing the time.

Adjusting his baseball cap, he bid the dog farewell and exited the mall, walking towards the convenience store across the road. He thought it strange that the temperature could drop this low on what was a warm spring day. The night mist had settled in and he could see wisps of his breath as he exhaled.

After gulping down the remnants of the soda he had bought, Junpei sighed. He never felt so lost and useless in his life. Even his home was no longer a safe haven, especially when he had to deal with his drunk father.

Just thinking about him made his blood curdle and in a sudden rage, he chucked the soda can onto the pavement and stomped on it. Every blow represented a moment of his life in which he resented his father for not being the man he should be. At the end of it, he kicked the flattened can like a striker kicking a goal and it disappeared into the nearby bushes. He stood there for a little while, his eyes still fixated on those bushes, before taking a seat on the curb in front of the convenience store.

_Is my life really as bad as it seems now?_

He took off his cap and looked up, gazing at the black sea that was the night sky. It was void of stars tonight.

_I just wish there was like, something I could do to change the world. Like some awesome skill no one else has._

The thought made him smile to himself and reminded him of his immaturity. Of course there would not be any awesome skill. That sort of thing only happened in fiction. No, he would just be a regular guy who would get a regular job and live a regular life.

At least, that was what he thought before the lights went out.

The darkness caught him by surprise and he jumped up. He pivoted, and saw only the reflection of a very pale moon from the windows of the convenience store. He rushed into the store to find the checkout worker, only to find that the worker was not there anymore. In the place where the worker should have been standing, was a large black coffin standing upright. It looked to be very well polished as Junpei could see a clear reflection of himself. He backed away from it, eyes widening.

_What the hell is this?_

His back then hit something solid. He slowly turned around and saw a distorted version of himself in the glossy surface of another black coffin. The image was horrendous, like someone had used a photo editing program to liquidate his face, and startled, Junpei fell onto his backside. Scrambling to his feet, he exited the store, hoping that this was some dream or hallucination he was having.

What he saw outside confirmed that it was anything but.

The outskirts of Paulownia Mall was littered with coffins, some standing along the streets, and some on the road itself. All reflected the sickly green tinge of the sky. There was no one to be found. No electricity. Nothing. It was as if the apocalypse just happened.

As he looked around trying to find anything that resembled the world he knew, Junpei wondered if zombies would start pouring out of those coffins. He had seen something similar to this happen in some video game he once played (it was, he believed, an MMORPG called Innocent Sin Online), and the very thought sent shivers down his spine.

Something moved.

He noticed the black blur out of the corner of his eye. _Oh geez, can my luck get any worse? _He rummaged through his pockets in an effort to find something to defend himself with. Half a packet of gum, his cell phone and wallet, and a crumpled piece of paper.

_Okay, I can do this. _

He had seen people in movies improvise all the time and they always came out alive at the end of it. Perhaps he could bribe whatever it was in the alleyway with gum? He could tell the thing to swallow it all and hope that it would choke and–

_Oh who am I kidding? Like hell that's gonna work!_

A low pitched groan filled the empty night and Junpei's world darkened as an ominous shadow loomed over him. He turned, and saw a tall mass of black sludge towering in front of him. Its arms were raised and the blue mask that he assumed to be its face gave him an impassive stare.

_So I guess this is it. I'm gonna become food for this freak. _

He was glad there was no coffins around. He did not want to see the despair on his face. It would have probably scared him more than looking into the face of this thing. Junpei raised his arms and covered his face, waiting for the inevitable.

Fortunately, the thing never got the chance to consume him. It instead exploded in a spray of black blood. Through the gaps of his arms, Junpei saw a figure standing in its place. He was wearing a red sweater vest and his short silver hair gleamed in the moonlight. His clenched fists appeared to be holding a pair of bladed cestuses.

"Akihiko-senpai?" Junpei asked, lowering his arms.

The figure pivoted. It was Akihiko. But what was he doing here? And at this hour?

"Junpei? What the hell are you doing here?" Akihiko said, glancing around.

"Dude, I could ask ya the same thing," Junpei replied, sighing with relief. "But more importantly, WHAT THE FREAKIN' HELL WAS THAT?"

"They're called Shadows," Akihiko said, removing his cestuses and clipping them onto his belt. "I was tailing this one as it had managed to– Wait a minute. You're not a coffin. Which means..."

"A coffin? You mean those coffins everywhere are actually PEOPLE? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you have the potential and could possibly be of great help to us. I don't have the time to answer all your questions so if you want answers, come to this dorm tomorrow night."

Akihiko fished a small card out of his pocket and handed it to Junpei, who quickly examined it.

"You guys Shadow hunters or somethin'?" Junpei asked, pocketing the card.

"You catch on quick. Anyway, if you're serious about joining, you're going to have to transfer to the dorm. It just makes coordinating events...easier," Akihiko replied, turning to walk off. "Let me know your decision tomorrow at school."

Watching Akihiko walk off into the darkness, Junpei took out the card again. _Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad? That's a funny name for a club. _Maybe it would be a good idea to join. He never liked being left with unanswered questions. They were like a drug addiction, and the urge to know would constantly harass him until he had his dose.

Shoving the card back into his pocket, Junpei made his way home. Yes, he would join. He would be 'Junpei, the Shadow Hunter! Ordinary student by day, but elusive hero by night!' The thought made his smile stretch from cheek to cheek. For once, he was glad to be heading home and seeing his father again. It would be one of the last few times he did.


	7. Formation

A/N: Hey all, back with another update. For this chapter I decided to mix in several scenes that happen over a few days in the game so that it's more streamlined. Hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

Minato awoke to the sound of several loud knocks on his door. He glanced at his alarm clock and saw that it read ten o'clock in the evening. Time to get up. Hoisting himself off his bed, he strode towards the door.

Today had been a strange day. While he was fully recovered, and felt that sprinting a couple hundred of meters wouldn't even make him break a sweat, he was not scheduled to be released out of hospital for another two days. He wondered what kind of black magic Mitsuru had used to persuade the nurses into letting him out early, as his negotiations with them ended with him being locked in his room. They were a stubborn bunch, those nurses, and never ceased to ramble on about how he needed more rest and that he should not be wandering around. How would they know what he was feeling anyway?

He pulled his door open to reveal Mitsuru, who stood with her arms folded. Her face was impeccable as ever and if the day's events had been exhausting for her, she did not show it.

"Good, you're up. I was afraid that I was going to have to come in and wake you," Mitsuru said, watching Minato close the door. "I apologize if I've been keeping you from doing anything too strenuous."

"It's alright," Minato replied. "I understand you need me for something important."

What that important thing was, he still had no clue. All Mitsuru had told him in the limousine back to the dorm was that he would need all his energy for his tonight. She had been reluctant to speak after that instruction and had skilfully evaded any questions about Shadows and Personas he had thrown.

As he walked with her up the stairs and to the fourth floor, he couldn't help but notice she was wearing perfume. The whiffs of her scent he caught drifting off her vibrant hair wasn't the type that fogged his senses or made him want to gag. It wasn't like what almost every other girl in Gekkoukan, or his previous school for that matter, wore either. No, the fragrance was something sweet with a subtle touch of spiciness. And another ingredient that he couldn't quite place. Whatever it was, he knew this – it suited her perfectly.

"Thanks again for bailing me out today," he said, turning to face her as they reached the doors to the command room. "If it weren't for you, I would have probably gone insane, being locked in that room."

"I can imagine," Mitsuru replied with a smile. "Don't worry, you'll have your answers very soon."

They entered the command room and except for the large computer monitor on the left side, the room was – to Minato anyway – a complete replica of the foyer. He took a seat next to Yukari who greeted him with a glance. She then engrossed herself back to her cell phone, still a little edgy.

Shortly after, Akihiko and the Chairman entered with a familiar face. He wore the uniform of Gekkoukan High and would have looked like another ordinary student if it weren't for his navy blue baseball cap.

"J-Junpei?" Yukari gasped as her eyes looked up from her phone. "Why is HE here? Wait, don't tell me–"

"This is Iori Junpei from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today," Akihiko said.

Even though the lighting was quite dim, Minato could see Junpei's wide smile. He glanced at Yukari, who gave him a look of despair and stood up.

"He staying HERE?!" she exclaimed. "You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Akihiko bumped into him last night," Mitsuru said as Akihiko helped Ikutsuki place the two briefcases on the coffee table. "He has the potential and agreed to help."

Yukari looked from Junpei to Mitsuru, then back to Junpei.

"You have the potential? For real?" Yukari asked.

"That I do Yuka-tan," Junpei said, still grinning. "Akihiko-senpai found me at the convenience store looking half-dead and surrounded by a bunch of coffins. I don't remember much but man, that was embarrassing. Anyway, I was shocked to find out about you guys. I had no idea. I'm glad I'm not the only one." He smirked. "I bet you're stoked, having me join."

"Yeah, I guess," Yukari replied as kindly as possible, though she may as well have asked why it had to be him. "Though once you hear the details of it all, you might wanna think twice about this."

"Details? What details? Don't you guys just go huntin' Shadows every other night?"

"Yeah but–"

"Then what's there to think twice about?" he said, walking past her to greet Minato. "Hey man, good to see ya again."

Minato bumped his fist. "Good to see you too."

"Can you believe this one?" Junpei whispered, gesturing at Yukari who looked away and mumbled something unintelligible. "It's like she's trying to kick me out already."

"You two have some sort of history?" Minato asked.

"It's a long story," he replied, nodding. "I'll tell ya some other time. But dude, how lucky are you? Living here with both Yuka-tan AND Mitsuru-senpai. It's the dream isn't it?"

Minato watched as Mitsuru gracefully strode across the room to instruct Akihiko and Ikutsuki. He really could not place what it was that made her allure so intoxicating.

"I suppose. But whether that counts as being lucky, or an act of coincidence, I'm not so sure," Minato said, now eyeing the pair of silver briefcases.

"Seriously dude? Of course you're lucky! Man, you have no idea how many guys would kill to be you right now," Junpei replied, shaking his head.

Ikutsuki cleared his throat. "Well now that everyone knows each other, I'd like to have your undivided attention." Once everyone took their seats on the arrangement of sofas, he turned to Minato and Junpei. "Especially you two. Now, would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than twenty-four hours?"

Hearing those words made Minato feel like he was being lectured by an idiot. He exchanged glances with Junpei who was equally as confused. Or insulted. What kind of nonsense was the Chairman going on about? Minato's eyes drifted towards Mitsuru, who chuckled at his reaction.

_Is this what she meant by answers?_

"I'm not surprised by your reaction," she said. "However, you've already experienced this firsthand. Do you remember the night you came here? You had to have noticed the signs. The streetlights went out, nothing was working, there were coffins everywhere. That's the Dark Hour, a time period hidden between one day and the next."

Minato listened as Mitsuru, Akihiko and Ikutsuki told their story, feeling all the pieces of the puzzle fix themselves together. How the weirdness on the night of his arrival was caused by the Dark Hour. How the messes of black sludge with blue masks were Shadows and how they were responsible for the cases of Apathy Syndrome he had been hearing about in the news. How Evokers were used to simulate an act of suicide so that a person's state of mind could handle the summoning of a Persona, which was the cause of the constant calling that reverberated in his psyche. It all made sense now. Except for one thing.

"So what causes the Dark Hour?" Minato asked.

Everyone turned their eyes on him, shocked at the fact that he had processed the material so quickly. And with very little skepticism.

"I-I'm glad you're quick to understand," Mitsuru said, regaining her composure. "We don't exactly know what the cause of it is yet but we believe we can find the reason in Tartarus, a labyrinth that only reveals itself during the Dark Hour. Think of it as a Shadow nest."

_So they don't know either. _

It was to be expected that they did not have an answer, Minato supposed. He turned to examine the others. Junpei was still in disbelief as he had thought, and Yukari's bored expression told him that she had heard all this before. But as well as she hid it, he noticed her eyeing Mitsuru with a hint of disdain; the look reminding him of the day she visited him in the hospital and asked about his relations with the Kirijo Group. He had assumed she had some suspicions but it looked to be a little more than that.

"Man, this is pretty extreme stuff," Junpei said. "And here I thought you guys would just be wanderin' around Port Island, killing Shadows as a sort of work out or something." He turned to Minato. "Hey, you think this is weird too don't you?"

Minato took a moment before answering, glancing at Ikutsuki and both his senpai. It seemed as though they were more concerned with him being on board than anyone else. "Considering what I experienced the other night, I think what they've said so far seems plausible. Unless you can think of a better explanation yourself."

Junpei opened his mouth and then closed it, shaking his head.

"In any case, we've prepared an Evoker for both of you," Mitsuru said, standing up and opening one of the briefcases. "We'd like you to lend us your strength."

Minato and Junpei leaned forward and peered at the contents. Inside was a silver handgun emblazoned with the letters S.E.E.S. and a few accessories; a holster and strap, and a red armband with the same inscription as the gun. Now that he thought about it, both of his senpai and Yukari were all wearing that armband. Minato took out the gun and examined it. It was surprisingly heavy for its size and he wondered if any alterations could be arranged to his liking. Placing the Evoker back in the briefcase, he looked up at everyone.

"I'll help you," he announced. "If Shadows leave behind nothing but a husk of a human, then I see no reason why we shouldn't fight back."

Mitsuru smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate that you see the sense in fighting them. Iori?"

"Well, I did say I'd help you guys out," Junpei said. He still looked troubled. "But are Personas the only thing we can use? 'Cause shooting myself is gonna take some time to get used to."

"I concur," Minato added. "If Tartarus is their nest, then I'm sure there'll be more than we can handle, even with the five of us. And if the other night's anything to go by, I'd rather not be knocked out for a week every time I summon."

Akihiko stood up, crossed over to the monitor and flicked a switch. The monitor hummed to life and after pressing a few more buttons, it displayed a recording of the roof the night the dorm was attacked. Everyone watched in silence (Junpei was in complete awe) as the Minato in the recording placed Yukari's Evoker to his head, pulled the trigger, then convulse as the newly summoned Orpheus was ripped apart.

"We were watching you when you summoned your Persona," Akihiko said as the recording ended. "And as far as we can tell, we've never seen a case like yours. Summoning for the first time has different side effects for everyone and so it's likely your exhaustion was just that. A side effect. Over time, you should get used to it but make sure you let us know if something's off. A Persona gone berserk is no joke."

As Akihiko shut the monitor off, Minato caught a glimpse of his brow creasing at that last statement. Had it happened to him before?

"So...are there other ways of dealing with the Shadows?" Junpei asked, his face still aghast at the footage. "Like, are we gonna need guns and grenades or something?"

"No, there will be none of that," Mitsuru said. "As effective as live ammunition is, they're too impractical with all the paperwork and questions." She glanced at Akihiko, who nodded and picked up the two briefcases. "However, there are other things we can use."

Ikutsuki excused himself, saying he needed to return to his research, as Mitsuru stood up and gestured for the three juniors to follow her and Akihiko to a polished mahogany door in the corner of the room with numerous locks. Reaching into her skirt pocket, she pulled out a set of keys and selected one to unlock one of the locks. Then she used another key for another lock. And so on. When she was done, she pulled the door open and stepped through, flicking the lights on to reveal a room filled with weapons.

Many, many weapons.

Sheathed swords hung like trophies at the far end of the room while entire stands of battle axes, spears, bows and quivers of arrows, and even fighting gauntlets and cestuses decorated the sides. The swords were of all different types and cultures, ranging from slender katanas, to fencing sabers, to heavy broadswords. All were sharpened and were patiently waiting to be used.

Minato made his way to an antique wooden table in the center of the room, where Akihiko had placed his and Junpei's Evokers, and saw that there were many more Evokers lying beneath a glass case. He had expected them to be kept out of sight but was surprised that there were so many of them.

"You never know when you might run into a Persona user," Akihiko said as Minato inspected the Evokers. "We had about a half a dozen made just in case."

Leaving the table, Minato turned and walked towards the display of European swords. He could only marvel at how the Kirijo Group snuck such an arsenal into a student's dormitory. It definitely would have involved some black magic indeed.

His eyes scanned through several swords before finally falling on one of them. He gently took it off its stand and unsheathed from its scabbard. It was a simple saber, lightweight, with a pristine curved blade and a standard guard. There wasn't anything remarkable about it but holding it in his hands, Minato knew that this would do. Less was always more.

"So I see you prefer one handed swords," Mitsuru said.

Minato looked up from inspecting his chosen weapon, and noticed her standing beside him.

"Well I figured that I would want to have a free hand to use my Evoker," he replied, testing the weight and feel of the blade. Yes. This was definitely the saber he wanted. "I'm more familiar with these than katanas and the like since I've used them before when I was younger."

"Really?" Mitsuru asked, a little intrigued.

Minato nodded. "I'll save that story for another day. But as I said, I will help you. Everything you have told me tonight has piqued my interest and I'm eager to find the answers."

"You can count me in too," Junpei said, making his way over to them, a katana in his hands and a grin on his face.

"Hang on a second. You guys are joining just like that? You're not curious about all this?" Yukari asked, gesturing to the weapons.

"C'mon Yuka-tan," Junpei said. "A guy only gets to use one of _these_ once in a lifetime."

Yukari ignored him and approached Minato.

"Oh I'm not saying I'm not curious," Minato said, sheathing his saber and looking her square in the eye. "But it doesn't matter. Now that I know there's a backup plan, I don't have to worry about falling back on my Persona all the time. And besides, all _this_?" He brought his saber up. "I have a knack for all of _this_." He turned to face Mitsuru. "When do we start?"

Mitsuru glanced at Akihiko, who nodded, and smiled. "You're in luck. Because we're going to Tartarus tonight."


	8. Thebel

A/N: You may have noticed I have changed the title of this fic to just _Journey to the Answer_ and that's because, for the sake of convenience, I decided to scrap the idea of separating the story into four individual entries. For all my wonderful readers, I hope that this provides an easier reading experience.

* * *

From the way everyone held their weapons, Minato thought remaining inconspicuous whilst travelling to wherever Tartarus was would be impossible. With twenty-four hour convenience stores placed in 'convenient' places, bars full of workers drowning their woes in saké and a steady stream of traffic, Iwatodai was anything but a ghost town at night. Yet somehow they had managed to bypass some of the most busiest areas of the district without garnering much, if not any, attention. Granted, it was a good thing but Minato wondered exactly how they would explain themselves if questions were asked. Yukari's longbow and quiver of arrows might have been within explanation but Junpei's katana? Or his saber? People would think that they were members of the Yakuza.

Thinking that made him question whether the Kirijo Group was secretly part of it as well, or just an entirely different entity. His childhood memories of the Group were still foggy and whenever he tried to remember anything about them, he could only recall fragmented visions depicting some laboratory, and several humanoid silhouettes walking towards him amid a glow of embers. Yukari had made it clear that she was suspicious of the Group. Should he be as well?

"Wait, _this_ is the place?" Junpei groaned. "Why here?"

Looking at his surroundings, Minato could not agree more.

They were in front of Gekkoukan High School. It was hard to tell as there were few lampposts in the area but upon closer inspection, it was his school. Only, it did not look like a school anymore. Covered in a blanket of darkness and having a pathway flanked by a line of ominous cherry blossom trees, it may as well have been a haunted mansion, with the arrival of the Dark Hour adding to that illusion.

The shift was odd. There was no doubt about it. But the sense of wrongness that the Dark Hour brought was so obvious it puzzled Minato how he had not noticed it on the day of his arrival. The drop in temperature, the stagnant air. The way some places were brighter than others even though all the streetlights were off and the discolored moon. The distortions caused by the ripples of the Dark Hour should have been alien to him. It really should have.

But it wasn't.

He did not know how but some part of him recognized the sensations brought forth, and told him that all this was to be expected.

The one thing it did not tell him was the transformation of Gekkoukan High School to a gigantic tower. Tartarus. It took the place of the main building, stretching further and further into the cloudy green sky as its exterior of randomly shaped and sized steel – which protruded in different directions – was established. The resulting monument was a mess, as if the architect was heavily drunk when sketching the design.

Minato followed the others to the entrance (when Yukari and Junpei had finished gawking at its grotesque magnificence) and upon entering the lobby of Tartarus, they were greeted by a large staircase that stood in the center of the room. At the top of the stairs, was an antique golden clock with a carved doorway. A few paces away from the staircase was a bizarre spherical device that began to glow green the moment Akihiko neared it.

_This is all wrong. How can a tower just appear out of nowhere?_

He continued to look around in disbelief when his eyes fell onto a freestanding deep blue door that was to the left of the staircase. It stood there, beckoning for him to enter. Minato approached it and automatically, he reached into his pocket for the key Elizabeth had given him, and placed it into the lock. The door opened and within seconds, he was back in the Velvet Room.

Igor was still seated in front of him across that same clothed table, and Elizabeth was still standing on his left with that giant encyclopedia in her arms. It appeared as if time had not passed at all since his previous visit.

"It's so nice to see you again," Igor said. "The time has come for you to wield your power."

"You mean my Persona?" Minato asked.

Igor nodded. "However, you should know that your power is unique. It's like the number zero. Empty, but at the same time, holds infinite possibilities."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see in due time," Igor said, his smile widening. "That being said, your power is still weak. If you are to seek the answers to the tower you are about to venture into, keep in mind that the more emotional ties with others you develop, the more your power will evolve. Now then, time marches on in your world and I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Until the next time we meet, good luck, and farewell."

A bright light engulfed his vision and within seconds, Minato was staring into the curious eyes of his friends.

_Well isn't this awkward._

"Did I miss something?" he asked.

"Our senpai was just explaining about this place," Yukari said, eyeing him. "Have you been nodding off? 'Cause it isn't like you to be out of it."

"Yeah dude, you look like a zombie," Junpei added.

"I guess I must have," Minato responded with a shrug, turning to face his senpai. Did he really look that bad? "But I did hear you guys say that you've explored it a little before and that everything between here and the top is Shadow territory."

"Well, at least you heard that much," Akihiko said. "Anyway, we'll have you three get a feel for this place."

Yukari gasped. "What? By ourselves? You can't be serious!"

"We're not asking you to go very far," Mitsuru explained. "Besides, you'll learn more this way."

Minato tightened his grip on his saber. She had a point. But with no knowledge of Yukari and Junpei's combat experience, he truly wondered if this was the best way of doings things.

"So you guys didn't plan on comin' in the first place?" Junpei asked, his shoulders slumped.

"Not unless you run into something you can't handle," Akihiko said. "Additionally, we're also going to appoint a field leader to make any necessary decisions."

No sooner than the words left his mouth, Junpei cocked his head and began to leap up and down. Akihiko shot him a quick glance before ignoring him and walking over to Minato.

"You're in charge," he said.

"Are you sure about that senpai?" Minato replied, trying to avoid Junpei's glare. "I mean, I don't see your reasoning."

Mitsuru stepped forward. "Your Persona has most likely stabilized from its first summoning. Also, you don't seem to have any difficulties with this." She pulled out her Evoker, placed it to her head and pulled the trigger.

There was a dazzling blue flash and Mitsuru's Persona materialized. It was a blue feminine humanoid, her face hidden behind an iron mask. She wielded a dagger in one hand and a rapier in the other.

Mitsuru turned to Yukari and Junpei. "You may think this is a game now but I can assure you that once you set foot in there, it will be anything but. Tartarus won't go easy on you. If you can't pull the trigger when it matters then you might as well hand in your Evoker, forget about all this and leave."

Junpei swallowed hard at Mitsuru's words. Yukari gazed at her feet, clutching her bow even harder now. And Minato smiled to himself.

_Damn, she's good. _

"Speaking of Evokers Mitsuru-senpai, are the ones we have now permanent?" Minato asked.

"They might be," she replied, holstering her Evoker. "The ones you three have now are just the default models. If you are comfortable with them, then they're yours. If not, then make sure to take note of any modifications you may need while you're in there."

Minato nodded in understanding. It was just like having a blade forged to your liking. Everyone had their own preferences.

"Now, are there anymore questions?" Mitsuru continued.

"If you two aren't coming with us, then what will you be doing?" Yukari asked.

"Due to the daily change in the structure of Tartarus, outside support is a must. I'll be using my Persona to feed you information from here. It will be up to you to figure out how to work best as a team."

Mitsuru could not have been more correct. Shortly after Minato, Yukari and Junpei had ascended the stairway and into the labyrinth, passing through the dim and twisted corridors with stains of blood on the tiled floor, they saw them.

Shadows.

And whether it was out of fear or pure excitement, Junpei immediately charged into the small group with a battle cry, swinging his katana like a baseball bat. With his wide strokes, it was difficult, nigh impossible, for Minato to close in without being in danger, and for Yukari to have a clear shot. Oh they did get to finish off any stragglers Junpei had injured but that was their only taste of battle. And what a sour taste it was.

"Heh, that was easier than I thought," Junpei said as the final Shadow went down.

"Don't get too cocky," Minato warned. "If we keep this up, one of us is going to get killed."

"Is that so, leader?" Junpei replied.

"_Yes,_"Mitsuru's voice said in their minds, causing all to jump in surprise. "_Don't fret. I'm just using my Persona's telepathy skills. You're not going insane. That being said, you must be more careful. One slip up can be the difference between life and death. Do you all understand me?"_

Once everyone agreed, Mitsuru gave them the lowdown. Advancing while keeping an eye on their flanks and rear. Always having their weapons and Evokers at the ready. And perhaps most importantly, ensuring that Minato and Junpei had some level of coordination in their attacking as well as enough room so that neither could harm the other.

As soon as Mitsuru finished speaking, Minato outlined a simple yet systematic strategy. Then, they set off again through the hallways and before long, encountered another group of bird-like Shadows. With their new-found knowledge and battle plans, Minato called out to Yukari, who nocked an arrow to her bow and let it loose. Her shot hit home and by the time the rest of the Shadows realized what was happening, she had downed two more.

The Shadows then cawed loudly and flew across the hallway to engage them, with some meeting their end as Junpei hacked away with his katana. The few that managed to evade his swings were cut down by a combination of Minato's saber and Yukari's arrows.

And so the process continued: stopping at junctions to examine the vicinity, calling out to Yukari if a Shadow was spotted so she could take it out with her bow, and engaging in melee combat (sometimes with the help of their Personas) when the Shadows got too close for comfort. Compared to their first skirmish, it was a much smoother way of getting the job done and many fights ended before things went out of hand.

"Well, I guess that's it for this floor," Minato said, pulling his saber out of a Shadow. They hadn't fought that many Shadows but Minato could feel the fatigue weighing down on his shoulders. Yukari and Junpei were looking tired too. "Should we go up the stairs?"

"_I think it will be best to call it a night for today_," Mitsuru answered. "_The effects of the Dark Hour will make you tire more easily and I'm sure you're exhausted. There's no point in pushing it too hard on the first try._"

"Roger that. Although, how are we supposed to get back to the lobby? Backtracking to find the staircase down is going to take a while, with the all the changing floors."

There was a pause. Then Mitsuru resumed speaking. "_Do you see any sort of green spherical shaped device that looks like the one in the lobby?_"

"Yes," Minato replied, eyeing a staircase down the next corridor with that same bizarre device he had seen in the lobby beside it. "It's right next to the stairs."

"_Good, that's your way out. Just close your hand around it until it starts glowing. You'll see an image of the lobby and be able to teleport back._"

Minato complied and signaled the others to follow him to the strange device. As soon as they reached the last junction that separated them from the stairs, he stopped and held up a hand for the others to stop as well.

"What is it?" Yukari asked, placing a hand on her quiver.

"I don't know," Minato replied. "But I think I saw something." He looked to his left, then to his right, and frowned. Something had definitely moved. He had seen movement out of the corner of his eye. But whether it was just the work of the Dark Hour's distortions, or actually movement, he could not tell.

Until a high pitched cackle pierced his ear drums.

The sound bounced off the walls, echoing in a horrible cacophony. Minato gripped his saber tighter, and glancing at his surroundings for any signs of black goo, he took one step forward into the junction. Nothing happened. Nothing, except a crescendo in the laughter. _Is it near us? Or far away? It's so hard to tell with the Dark Hour screwing everything out of proportion. _He gestured for Yukari and Junpei to watch the flanks and took another step–

"WATCH OUT!"

Too late.

In the split second he registered Yukari's scream, a forceful blast of wind sent him crashing into a nearby wall. Specks of light danced around in his vision as he opened his eyes and Minato shook his head lightly to regain focus. Once he did, he looked down the corridor to see his attacker. A headless humanoid figure wielding dual fencing rapiers. It was larger than the regular Shadows they had been fighting all night, but smaller than the one that attacked the dorm. Hauling himself to his feet, Minato watched as it shrugged off Yukari's arrows and parried Junpei's swings with ease.

"Use your Personas!" Minato shouted at them, hoping his voice would distract the Shadow.

It didn't.

The moment Yukari and Junpei dropped their weapons and reached for their Evokers, the Shadow summoned another strong gust of wind, knocking both of them off their feet and into the nearby walls, dazed. It then made its way towards them, ready to deliver the killing blow when a ball of fire smashed into its side. Even with no head, the Shadow knew the source of the attack. It turned its attention on the remaining intruder, the one with the blue hair.

Upon catching the Shadow's attention, Minato holstered his Evoker and approached it. Surprisingly, the Shadow made no attempt to do anything hostile. It just waited. For him.

Minato smiled as he drew his saber. It had been far too long since he had a chance to spar like this. He felt the gloom and distortions of the hallways clear, as if the sun had somehow penetrated through the Dark Hour. He felt his vision crystallizing, to the point where high definition images seemed blurry. And he felt his hesitation flee when the blissful sweetness of momentum coursed through his veins and seeped into his muscles.

He knew this feeling all too well.

"Let's dance."

* * *

Akihiko cursed to himself as he ran through the corridors of the Tartarus. He knew it was a bad idea to let them wander around without some supervision and this just proved it all. So just why was Mitsuru so confident in them? Or more specifically, him? When they heard Junpei yell through Mitsuru's Persona, she did not seem to be overly concerned. There was no doubt that she had stiffened at hearing the news but she hadn't immediately decided to rush to their aid. He in fact had to persuade her into letting him find them.

Akihiko now questioned himself whether this was a good idea. The injuries he had suffered from when the dorm was attacked were not completely healed as of yet, and every step he took made his side throb in pain.

_This is nothing. I've suffered worse. _

As he passed another few junctions, he heard shouts emanating from further up ahead. As well as, oddly enough, the ringing of steel on steel. He stepped up the pace and rounded the corner, the clashes getting louder with each passing second. What he saw when he arrived made his jaw drop. And it was not the Shadow's appearance that did it.

It was Minato.

The blue haired boy was dancing in an elegant rhythm, his saber's movements a blur. With each clash of blades, he pushed the Shadow back, parrying its slashes and riposting its lunges.

The style reminded Akihiko of the way Mitsuru fought and he was surprised to find that their techniques would be so similar. Akihiko decided to keep his distance. It seemed that there was no need for any intervention. _Looks like Mitsuru was right. _

The Shadow then made a mistake. Thrusting too early with its right arm while its left was still recovering from slashing had created an opening. Sidestepping the thrust, Minato spun his saber in an uppercut and severed the Shadow's right arm, simultaneously connecting his left hand with his Evoker. Then he pulled the trigger.

Akihiko recognized Orpheus who materialized. But he did not recognize the other Persona alongside Orpheus. _Two Personas? But, that's impossible! _She (it looked to be a female as far as Akihiko could tell) circled around Orpheus a few times, wisps of vapor trailing from her white, one-piece dancing garb, before joining Orpheus in strumming the lyre. Fire and water combined in a voracious conflagration that consumed the Shadow whole, a large explosion of wet embers and goo erupting forth. When the steamed cleared, Akihiko saw Minato standing victorious.

Minato turned around, not appearing to notice he was covered in Shadow muck and a few burn marks. He helped Junpei and Yukari to their feet and approached Akihiko.

"You three alright?" Akihiko asked.

"We're good," Junpei replied, leaning on his katana slightly. He turned to Minato. "But dude, where did you learn to fight like that?"

"I think the more important question is, how he summoned more than one Persona," Yukari said, retrieving an arrow that was still in shape.

All eyes turned to Minato, who was still breathing heavily. Fighting like that would exhaust anyone but summoning dual Personas on top of that? Akihiko was surprised he was still standing.

"I had learned the basics of the sword when I was younger," Minato replied, holstering his Evoker and wiping some muck off his uniform. "I can't remember who taught me but I do remember most of the things he or she did teach me. That, and I honed my skills in the fencing club I joined back in junior high."

"Seriously?" Junpei asked. When Minato shrugged and gave him a slight smile, Junpei narrowed his eyes. "You're not kidding are you?"

"No, I'm not. And as for my Personas, I have no clue where the other one came from. It just happened."

Akihiko eyed Minato. _He has to have some idea. Unless he just let them do their own thing._ "We'll look into how you did that later. Right now, we should head back."

Everyone nodded at his instruction and he lead them towards the teleportation device.

"You know Arisato, you fight remarkably like Mitsuru," Akihiko said as they walked.

"Really?" Minato replied.

"Yeah. If you ever need to get some training in or freshen up on some techniques, she's someone you can talk to."

"I'll keep that in mind."

They continued in silence, all exhausted from the fighting. Once they reached the device, Akihiko closed his fist around it and a green glow enveloped them. A tingling sensation rippled through each of them as they teleported and in seconds, they were back in the lobby.

"Welcome back," Mitsuru greeted, approaching them. "So, how was it?"

"No problem," Minato answered, stifling a yawn. He looked back at Yukari and Junpei and they both nodded in agreement.

"I see. Well if you gained confidence, that's the best thing you could've achieved."

"By the way, I'd like to request that my Evoker be modified to suit a left hand. It's too much of a hassle to switch between my Evoker and saber. If I have a free hand, it'll ensure that I'm never off guard and I'll be able to fight more efficiently."

Mitsuru smiled. "I wasn't expecting you to figure out your preferences so soon but sure. We'll make sure the adjustments are made." She turned to the others. "Do you two have any requests?"

Yukari and Junpei shook their heads.

"Very well," Mitsuru said. "Let's return to the dorm now. The Dark hour is about to end and it'll be easier if we're outside when this place changes back."

The juniors did not need encouragement and were already exiting Tartarus and approaching Gekkoukan's front gate. Before Mitsuru exited, Akihiko tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to face him.

"Looks like you were right about him," he said.

"It sure seems that way," Mitsuru replied, folding her arms. "You should have listened to me when I said they'd be fine."

Akihiko caught a slight smirk on her face. "Wait, you knew about his skills with the saber didn't you?"

She gave him a proud look before turning on her heel. "Of course. He doesn't remember it but, I was the one who trained him."


	9. Impressions

A/N: I'm glad everyone has taken well to my little twist. All will be explained in due time so for now, I hope this chapter provides some insight.

* * *

The sun's radiant rays beamed through the windows, casting a cheery brightness throughout the dorm's foyer. Although the weather was as close to perfection as a spring day could be, Mitsuru decided to spend the remainder of the Sunday morning indoors. There was much to be done in regards to the requested modifications of Minato's Evoker and that was not even including all her other duties; tending to the matters of the student council, going through her recent package of college texts and having to edit the latest reports from the Kirijo Group...

It was beginning to pile up. The fact that Akihiko was curious at her past relations with Minato did not help alleviate the situation. Moreover, it made the stack of things to do rise that much higher. Sipping her cup of tea, she watched as Akihiko tossed her brief but detailed history lesson around in his mind.

"Ten years... I'm surprised you never told me about it before," Akihiko said after a few minutes. He was seated across from her on the crimson sofa and had spoken without looking up.

"I've never told anyone this," Mitsuru replied, setting her cup on the coffee table and reaching for her pile of textbooks. She gazed at Akihiko. He seemed to be up to something. "Why does this matter to you anyway?"

"Because I think you should get to know him again," he said, looking up and holding her gaze. "The fact that you two were close makes it easier to get a better idea on what we have on our hands."

Mitsuru pursed her lips and closed her textbook. "Is that an order you're giving me Akihiko?"

A look of shock surged through Akihiko's face and he broke eye contact, realising he went too far. Mitsuru smirked. It was not the first time Akihiko had attempted something like this but she had to admit, he had a point. The more they knew about Minato and his ability, the more well equipped they would be when facing Shadows with a strength similar to that of the one who attacked the dorm.

But could she do it? Unintentionally, her mind brought back memories of the day she saw his accident on that bridge. Of the day he changed. Of the day he no longer remembered anything. It had broken her heart to see the one friend, who could look past her nobility and accept her for who she was, become a shadow of himself.

Mitsuru had promised herself she wouldn't get _that_ close to anyone ever again but now, she questioned that promise. Minato had only been on one outing to Tartarus but had demonstrated a remarkable display of competence in fighting Shadows. If it weren't for him and his leadership, Yukari and Junpei would likely be dead by now.

However, experiencing the pain of losing him was not something she wanted to endure again. Once was more than enough. As she contemplated the idea of 'getting to know him better', trying to ignore the arguing voices of her subconscious, she looked back at Akihiko. _I wonder..._

"My history with him isn't going to make much of a difference in getting to know him," Mitsuru said. "Especially since he doesn't remember his past."

"I was only suggesting," Akihiko replied, turning to face her once more.

"I'm sure you were. So, what do you think of him?"

Akihiko shrugged. "Well, aside from the fact that he possesses more than one Persona, he's proven to be no stranger to combat. I mean, the way he brought down that Shadow... It's not something I would have expected." He chuckled as a thought struck him. "Maybe I should bring him along to the ring. See how he fares."

"He's not a punching bag Akihiko," Mitsuru replied with a sigh. "Being skilled with the sword does not mean he'll be skilled in boxing."

"Yeah but the two share similar principles. Boxing may improve his footwork which, if I remember correctly, is fundamental in swordsmanship. Or any other form of fighting for that matter."

Mitsuru turned back to her books, not wanting to spur Akihiko on with more talk of fighting. She knew his drive for it bordered on the extremely competitive end of the spectrum and anyone who decided to face him in the ring would not be taken lightly.

Although, she couldn't help but speculate at what might happen if Minato did step into the ring. It was possible that he knew nothing about unarmed fighting (Mitsuru had, in the past, never encouraged him to fight with his fists as it was too barbaric and graceless), but then, it was also possible that they were underestimating his capabilities and that he really knew a thing or two. After not seeing him for a decade, Mitsuru had no idea what he was capable of. But for some reason, the more she thought about it, the more she could picture the mental image of Minato standing over a knocked out Akihiko, whose face was contorted with disbelief. She didn't know how that image came to be or why she found it rather attractive but it was so amusing that she couldn't help but grin.

"What are you grinning at?" Akihiko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh nothing," Mitsuru replied, still smiling. "You did however bring up a good point about possibly taking Arisato to train with you. As you said, it will allow us to understand what we have on our hands."

She continued to smile as she watched Akihiko fight back a grimace. He was obviously irritated that his little plan had backfired.

"I'll...think about it," Akihiko said, giving her that hard look of his she had seen many times over the years. She could tell he was mulling over the idea and if that idea had something to do with training or fighting, Mitsuru knew he wouldn't rule it out. "But, you could also benefit from training with him. I know you trained with him before but you should know that his style is very similar to yours. Almost identical."

"Is that so?" Mitsuru asked, leaning forward. It wasn't a surprise to hear that his style paralleled hers. She and Minato had been sparring partners when they were younger, and trained together quite extensively. But to hear that his style was almost identical? Her interest was piqued.

Akihiko nodded. "If you sparred with him, it'd be like facing yourself. You'll be able to see where your weaknesses lie, as well as your strengths. Besides, when was the last time you've had a serious fencing partner?"

Mitsuru bit her lip. He wasn't wrong. With all her other commitments, she hadn't the time to attend the fencing club as of late. Starting up training with Minato would definitely bring her back into the swing of combat. And give a chance to reacquaint herself with him. Fighting, after all, was just another language. What could be said translated into a flurry of actions that spoke and meant ten thousand times more. Mitsuru knew there was a sense of appeal in the idea but she also knew that there had to be other ways of getting to know him better. Ways that did not include scarring his pride.

Before she could reply, she heard footsteps. She directed her gaze from Akihiko to see Minato, who was dressed in a casual combination of a white-blue t-shirt and jeans with his clip-on headphones hanging around his neck. He walked over to the arrangement of sofas and bowed.

"Akihiko-senpai, Mitsuru-senpai," he greeted.

Akihiko inclined his head in return and Mitsuru placed her textbook down on the table and stood up.

"Done your study for today?" she asked.

"More or less," he replied, nodding. "There's only so much study one can do before you start yelling at how you didn't notice something earlier. I think I'll go for a walk. Need some fresh air."

From the corner of her eye, Mitsuru caught Akihiko light up instantly and tried not to smile. _Some things never change. _

"A walk eh?" Akihiko said with a wide grin. "How about we go for a jog? I've been meaning to find a jogging partner and if you need some exercise, it'll help you stay in shape for training in Tartarus."

"That...sounds good," Minato responded. He was taken aback at Akihiko's sudden enthusiasm.

"Alright then, let's go," Akihiko said, leading Minato to the front door. "We'll see you later Mitsuru."

"Make sure you don't tire yourselves out," Mitsuru said, folding her arms. "We can't explore Tartarus if both of you are out of action. Especially you Akihiko. You still need to recover."

"There's no need to worry," Akihiko said, waving off her concerns before winking at Minato. Before leaving, he looked back at Mitsuru. "By the way, think on it will you?"

Knowing exactly what he meant, Mitsuru nodded in understanding, being left in silence as the door closed behind them. She sat back down and picked up her books, crossing her legs. _Boys will be boys_. Once an idea popped into Akihiko's head, especially one that was physically oriented, there was no stopping him. He would see that idea through no matter what.

At the very least, sparring with Minato was no longer something she had to worry about. Maybe in the future, but certainly not now. Building a relationship through physical activities wasn't something she was comfortable with at the moment and if it came to it, she felt that it would lead to more of a rivalry than a lasting friendship. Perhaps even worse, depending on his ego. No, there was a better way to get to know the _new_ him. There had to be a way.

Hearing the sudden chime of her cell phone, Mitsuru leaned forward to inspect the message. As she read it, an idea began to form in her mind.

Now that was convenient.


	10. Request

A/N: Thanks to all who've reviewed so far. I would like to let everyone know that I won't be updating for several weeks as I will be going on vacation. This doesn't mean I'm abandoning the fic because I'm having way too much fun with this to stop now, but it does mean I will be on a temporary hiatus. So in light of this, here is my lengthiest chapter as of yet. Hope you guys enjoy it and when I return, we will be getting into the fight with the Priestess Shadow. So stay tuned!

* * *

Minato watched as the seconds hand of the clock at the front of the classroom slowly ticked and completed a full circle. He watched it go around for a second time.

Then a third.

And a fourth.

By the fifth time, he was wondering why he was focusing all his attention on watching time pass. One glance at his teacher made him remember the reason. Placing his head down on his notebook, he decided that taking a short nap would not be such a bad idea. It was not the subject that drove him into the realms of boredom. Instead, it was the way in which the subject had gone completely off topic. Compared to the teachers at his previous school, the ones at Gekkoukan were a very...interesting bunch of people. And that was putting it lightly.

There were the normal teachers, the kind that were paid to stand in front of a class and lecture on whatever the curriculum called for. Minato did not mind that kind. What he did mind was the eccentricity that some staff brought to the table, notably being a trifle too enthusiastic about what they taught. So much so that one donned ancient samurai helmets on himself, claiming that it would heighten students' interest, while another rambled on about the occult and magic whenever he got the opportunity.

The teacher that was currently lecturing them was one of the latter kind. There was no doubt that Miyahara-sensei knew what she was talking about but, her infatuation of seeing the artistic beauty in numbers and equations often enticed her to proclaim her love for it out loud. It was one thing to be able to stimulate a student's interest in a field of study but this? This was borderline ridiculous.

It did not help that his Personas were calling out to him. He could feel them raging under his skin like a violent storm. Minato had no idea where the others had come from but they were there with Orpheus, waiting for a fight and a pull of the trigger. They wanted to emerge. To breath. To taste Shadow blood.

But there was nothing in their cries that could help explain the questions he wanted answered. Why did everything happen the way it did since he returned to Iwatodai? Why was it familiar to see that Shadow on the dorm's rooftop? Why did he have more than one Persona? It was even more frustrating than the challenge question Miyahara-sensei had set for them on the blackboard and the continuous echo of whispers that told him they wanted to play just wouldn't shut up.

_This is not the time now damn it!_

"Whoa dude, what do you mean it ain't time for lunch?"

Sitting upright, Minato opened his eyes to see Junpei and Yukari standing next to him with strange looks on their faces. He glanced around to make sure that he was really awake and met the suspicious eyes of his other classmates.

"What I meant to say was, I'm not hungry," Minato said, smiling sheepishly. "Those protein drinks in the fridge are really something."

"Sure they are," Yukari replied, narrowing her eyes. "You alright? Maybe you should head to the nurse's office if you're not feeling well. I mean, considering what happened the other day..."

She of course was referring to their most recent trip to Tartarus. They made it a routine to visit the tower every second or third night (only when Mitsuru was around, she wouldn't let them go if she wasn't) and the day before yesterday marked their third consecutive visit. Minato would have gone a fourth time, much to Akihiko's delight, but his proposal was rebutted by Junpei and Yukari; the former arguing that all that training wasn't worth the loss of a good night's sleep, and the latter reminding him that they were still students and needed to keep up with their studies. Maybe it was a good thing he had agreed with them as if he was already this groggy, a fourth visit would have probably sent him right back to hospital.

With those nurses.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You two go on without me. I don't think my nap during class was enough," Minato replied, gesturing for them to leave.

The moment the words left his mouth was the moment the door at the front of the classroom slid open. Normally, no one would have paid any heed since it was lunchbreak and there was a high amount of traffic, with students moving in and out of the room. But this time, it was different. Because when Mitsuru stepped into the classroom, a sense of authority swept across the room like a tidal wave. Students who were telling inappropriate jokes and the latest gossip cut off in mid sentence, students who were pretending to study immediately buried their heads in their textbooks, and students who admired the Kirijo heiress just stared. Yukari and Junpei were equally as stupefied at how the room went from chaos to order and both shot an anxious glance at Minato.

_She's probably just doing her rounds as Student Council President._

Minato leaned back in his chair, unaware of the looks his friends were giving him, and let his eyes follow her as she looked and walked around. For some reason he knew not the answer to, the room seemed to have brightened upon her entrance. Perhaps it was the way she moved with the grace of a fashion model, her hips swaying from side to side in a motion that was not too subtle and not too exaggerated. Or the way her heeled boots clicked and clacked, and clacked and clicked, on the tiled floor as she walked. He could only imagine what it would be like to witness such elegance on the battlefield and was so lost in his thoughts that it took a moment for him to realize that she had stopped by his desk.

The world around him froze and the room plunged into a silence so deep that Minato swore he could hear the ticking of the clock's seconds hand. And that was far away, above the blackboard that was about five or six desks down from where he was sitting.

He blinked and lifted his gaze to meet hers, trying to remain calm amid all the stares he had garnered, Junpei and Yukari's included. He had been a fool thinking he could avoid something like this. It did not matter how stealthy he was, fate would always find him and throw him a curveball like it always had. The way she looked at him with welcoming eyes and a warm smile was not very consoling either. Instead of making him blush and his heart thump like mad, it only served to amplify his annoyance. At the murmuring of his Personas and at the fact that everyone in the room envied him even more.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Kirijo-senpai?" Minato asked, standing up. As uncomfortable as he was with using such formality, he knew he had no other choice. Using her first name would be suicidal.

"Arisato, I'm sorry to bother you at this time but I need to speak with you after school, " she said, ignoring his formality. And the stares. "I have a special request for you."

"What kind of request?"

"It's something of mutual interest and I don't feel comfortable asking anyone else. I'll tell you more after school, okay?"

"Sure," he replied, though he couldn't help but think about what she meant by those words. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"_Tres bien_. I'll come get you when I'm ready."

And she turned on her heel, the crowd of students who had gathered around them ensuring to make a path for her, and left the room. Seconds after her exit, the boys in the crowd reverted their attention to Minato and shot him a glare that made him feel as if his skin was being pierced like a laser cutting through steel.

"What was that all about?" Yukari asked, turning to face Minato with a look that mirrored the other students'.

"I dunno," Junpei answered. "Tray Ben? What is that, French?" He sighed. "Lousy seniors and their lousy French."

"That's not what I meant."

Their voices were blocked out by the surge of curiosity that established itself in his mind. Something she was only comfortable with him doing? Minato knew Mitsuru probably meant well but from the way his classmates stared at him even during the remainder of his classes, he had the feeling that they all thought otherwise. He supposed it was natural for them to get the wrong idea and his suspicions were correct because when the final lesson of the day was over, a couple of them decided to approach his desk. But before the war of words began, Junpei stood up from his seat and waved them off.

"Hey now, we don't need to start a fight," he said. "I'm sure it's nothing, probably just senpai askin' him to check out somethin' she doesn't have time for."

"Oh you think so huh?" a student with glasses replied. "But what if isn't? What if–"

"Seriously dude, you gotta chill."

The student backed down from Junpei but then gave Minato a pressing look. "Fine. But I'm keeping an eye on _you_."

"If you feel the need to then by all means," Minato said, keeping his poker face.

As the student stormed out of the room with his posse of friends, there was a ring of a cell phone. Minato reached for his and flipped it open to see a message. From Mitsuru.

_I will be late_, the message said. _If you don't mind, could you please head into the room opposite Class 2-E and wait for me there?_

Minato glanced around and ensuring that no onlookers could see who the message was from (he was sure that they would kill him for her number), he replied he would. He then stood up, told Junpei and Yukari that there was a change of plans, and was about to leave for the designated room when someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Junpei.

"Just a word of advice," he said in a low voice, "be careful. I'm sure you know by now but our Mitsuru-senpai has a lot of admirers." He paused for a moment, glancing over Minato's shoulder at another group of students who were giving them long stares.

Minato turned to look at them too, figuring that the mere mention of her name was the catalyst, and shot a glare back. The group of students were taken aback at the intensity of his stare and turning their backs to him, they resumed their conversation.

Junpei cleared his throat and continued in that same quiet voice. "Anyway, the fact that she asked you of all people to do something for her is gonna make a lotta people pretty mad. Now, I've only been here for a year but I've seen how ugly it can get. You don't want to be caught up in that mess. So if I were you, I'd do whatever she wants you to do and be done with it. You get what I'm saying?"

"I got it," Minato promised. "Thanks for the advice."

He then exited the room and made his way down the hallway, fully aware that he was being watched by his classmates as well as several other students in the vicinity who had caught wind of what had transpired during lunchbreak. Upon reaching the door to the room opposite Class 2-E, Minato slid it open and entered. Inside was another classroom, the desks arranged into a long table that resembled those in a corporate meeting room. Two students were already seated and they looked up at his arrival.

The girl who was furthest away from where he was standing had a pale complexion, long dark hair, and wore a pair of black rimmed glasses. The boy who was directly opposite her had swept back grayish hair and a face that looked as if he was scowling at something. As he stood up and approached, Minato noticed that he was wearing a yellow armband with an inscription on his left arm. That said Student Council.

_She wants me to do something for the Student Council? Why?_

"You're not allowed in here you know," the boy said. "Student Council members only."

"Oh well I did not know that," Minato said with a shrug. "Mitsuru-senpai told me to wait for her here so that's what I'm doing."

"She said that did she? How do I know you're not lying?"

Minato opened his mouth but the girl spoke first.

"Um, Odagiri-senpai," she said, "I think that's–"

"Please don't interrupt me when I'm the middle of interrogating Chihiro!" the boy called Odagiri snapped. "As I was saying, how do I– Kirijo-san?"

Minato turned to his left and found himself looking into a pair of beautiful red eyes. He felt his cheeks rise in temperature and immediately directed his gaze at the blackboard in the room. The night of his arrival, in the dim lighting of the dorm's foyer, he hadn't been able to see those eyes with such clarity. _I didn't know how lucky I was._

"It's okay Odagiri," Mitsuru said, closing the door, "I told him to meet me here."

Hidetoshi's expression softened, or what looked anything like it since his scowl was still there, and he went back to his seat, muttering an apology. Minato sighed and espied Mitsuru flashing him a small smile as she made her way to the head of the table. _Next thing I know, she's going to make me join the Student Council. _

"I apologize for making you all wait," Mitsuru said, folding her arms. "I got caught up speaking to the Principal regarding the courtyard that may be demolished. But enough about that, let's get down to business." She let her eyes rest on Minato. "Arisato, the reason I have brought you here is because I would like you to join the Student Council."

Minato blinked and let her words sink in. Did he hear her correctly? He averted his eyes from her gaze and let them wander, trying to process her proposal. Even though the idea had occurred to him, he had to admit it was still unexpected, and definitely not his first choice for an extracurricular activity. If his short amount of time at Gekkoukan had proven anything, it was that he was more well hated than well liked by his classmates. And by nearly every other student in the school for that matter. But when he looked back at Mitsuru and realized she was serious, his heart sank and pounded like a hammer at the same time.

"It's an honor Mitsuru-senpai but why?" Minato asked.

"Being President is very time consuming and I find myself in the need of an assistant," Mitsuru replied. "Someone who is able to lend a hand in the event of an emergency, and keep me updated with Council affairs as well as my other concerns. Of course, if you feel that it's not something you're comfortable with, then you're most welcome not to join."

Minato noticed her wink and upon realizing what those 'other concerns' were, he tried not to smile.

Him.

On the Student Council Executive.

As Mitsuru-senpai's personal assistant.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear Junpei shouting at him to decline the offer right now. _You don't want to be caught up in that mess_ he had said, and _do whatever she wants you to do and be done with it._ But now that Minato knew the details of Mitsuru's request, he knew he just could not be 'done with it'. Oh no. If he accepted, he was in it for the long haul.

"You must be pretty talented if the President hand-picked you," Hidetoshi remarked as he eyed Minato. "It's rare for her to do that."

"You shouldn't worry about that Odagiri," Mitsuru said in an attempt to quell his doubts. It didn't quell his scowl though. "Arisato knows what it's like to be a leader and is proficient at adapting to different situations." She turned her attention back to Minato. "If you decide to take my offer, you will be working with me, and alongside those in the Student Council Executive Committee, which includes my colleagues here. I'll let them speak for themselves."

The girl with glasses stood up and bowed. "I'm Fushimi Chihiro, the Treasurer. I'm a sophomore, and um, I'm still learning the ropes so...please be patient with me Minato-senpai." Her face turned bright pink as she finished speaking and she sat back down, her eyes fixated on the papers in front of her.

Minato bowed and turned to Hidetoshi.

"You probably know by now but I'm Odagiri Hidetoshi," he said. "I supervise the Disciplinary Committee. There's a couple more of us you'll need to be acquainted with if you do join but unfortunately, they had other commitments to make today."

"In any case," Mitsuru said, "you now know where to find us so I'll give you some time to think it over." She then took her eyes off Minato and was about to say something when he spoke.

"There's no need," Minato said, causing Chihiro and Hidetoshi's eyes to widen. "Because I'll take the position. Is there any paperwork I need to sign?"

Mitsuru smiled and gestured for Hidetoshi to grab the necessary documents.

The blue haired boy knew of the consequences. He knew of the issues that his decision would eventually bring about. But he did not care. He was already helping her fight the Shadows, and if that was already dangerous, then adding a little more danger would only make life more interesting. And yes, maybe he was walking into a death trap and maybe it would blow up in his face one day. But it didn't matter.

Because when such opportunities came, you took them.

* * *

The amount of paperwork was surprising to say the least. Just a few signatures here and there and it was done. He was officially her assistant. The meeting was over a few minutes later but before he could freely head off, there were still matters that needed to be settled. Matters that related to S.E.E.S. Closing the door to the council headquarters behind him, he followed Mitsuru through the now empty hallways, out the school doors, and down the entrance pathway to the front gate. He was about to ask her where they were going when a sleek black limousine pulled up by the curb. It appeared to be the same one that she had used to bail him out of hospital a week earlier.

He entered the limousine after seeing Mitsuru gesture, the smell of polished leather filling the air. The scent changed as Mitsuru took a seat opposite him and his nose tickled in adjusting to her familiar but subtle scent of spice and luxurious florals.

"So, we're not going back to that hospital again are we?" he asked a few minutes after the limousine had started moving.

Mitsuru chuckled. "No, we're not. As I won't be in the dorm tonight, I thought that this would be the best way to discuss matters regarding _work_ that concerns you." She reached underneath her seat, brought out a familiar silver briefcase, and passed it to him. "Here, this is yours. Tailored specifically to your request."

Minato took out his Evoker, now a glossy charcoal grey instead of the default alabaster silver, and raised it to his temple to test the modifications. As he had requested, it was lighter, with the left-handed grip fitting perfectly in the groove of his palm.

"This is perfect," he said, lowering the Evoker. "Thank you."

"You're most welcome," Mitsuru replied. "Make sure you take care of it."

Minato nodded trying his best not to think about how well those slight dimples suited her understanding smile. It was difficult, and her scent did nothing except pull him deeper into holding her gaze. He tried to say something, anything to break the spell, but he knew that there was nothing more that needed to be said on the matter. The gateway to his inner psyche was precious and its importance was something that needed no words. Summoning what willpower he had, Minato averted his eyes from hers and placed his Evoker back in the briefcase. When he did, the hushed echoes of his Personas began once again. It was louder than before and this time, he could hear their voices rolling around in his mind like thrown dice.

_Moon. Shadow. Twelve. Fall. Death._

The words went on in an endless loop, sometimes in the same order, sometimes in a different order. But for some reason, 'Death' always came last. He shut his eyes in an effort to make it stop but only found himself being plunged further into the void, where the cacophony of chanting voices continued to crescendo.

Then he heard another voice. One that was not loud enough to drown out that of his Personas, but different enough for him to distinguish between the two.

"Arisato! Are you alright?"

Minato awoke from the void and once again found himself staring into Mitsuru's eyes. Seeing them even closer than before was an agonizing joy and when she pulled back and let go of his shoulder, a concerned look on her face, the part of him that yearned to be lost in her beauty only intensified.

"I...I...What happened?" he asked, placing a hand to his temple and wincing when he moved his head. Was it his Personas that were causing the headache?

"Don't scare me like that," Mitsuru said with a sigh. When Minato raised an eyebrow, she continued, "You started mumbling to yourself ever since you put your Evoker down, saying something about the moon and death. You don't remember?"

Minato thought hard. He remembered the voices. But he didn't remember mumbling. "I'm not sure if this is the right time to speak of this but..." He trailed off, unsure of whether to continue, but Mitsuru gestured for him to keep going. "Well, there's something unusual about my Personas." He then proceeded to describe everything he could. How his Personas churned under his skin. How they whispered to him. Even the five words that they repeatedly said. He tried to be as detailed as possible and when he was done, Mitsuru looked even paler than before.

"To be frank, I don't know what to tell you," she said after some time. "Hearing the thoughts and voices of your Persona isn't strange and if it has become more apparent than usual, it usually means that a summoning is overdue. But in your case, it's possible that it has something to do with having more than one. Is this the first time it has happened?"

"If you mean to this extent, then I think so," Minato said, nodding. "I knew the others were there since the first time we came back from Tartarus but, I don't remember them being this restless."

"I see. Do you have them under control?"

The stern look she gave made him hesitate. He knew this was serious but Mitsuru seemed to be afraid of something, her tone reminding him of what Akihiko had mentioned on the night he and Junpei joined S.E.E.S.

"For now, yes," he assured her, feeling the limousine stop moving. Minato glanced out the window to his left and realized that they were in front of the dorm.

"If time allows, I'll have a look into it with Akihiko and the Chairman," she said as they exited the limousine and walked up the pathway to the dorm together. "I have a hunch that what they feel is linked to how you feel so in the meantime, try not to do anything that will agitate you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes I do Mitsuru-senpai," he replied.

"Good. It's probably best that we don't speak of this to Takeba or Iori just in case. If you have any concerns, only let either myself or Akihiko know. It has taken us quite a while to build up a team this large and the last thing I want is a schism, or you being unable to perform your duties as field leader."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Mitsuru nodded and turned to return to the limousine. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave. See you tomorrow."

Later that evening, Minato returned to his room and set down the briefcase on his bed, opening it once more to reveal the Evoker inside. _The gateway to them_. It was a strange way of describing something that resembled a handgun. Wondering if there was some correlation between their calls and how close he was to an invocation, he placed the glossy black barrel against his temple and curled his finger around the trigger.

The Dark Hour struck.

He squeezed.

And nothing happened.

No bright blue flashes of light, no shattering of the mind. Just the ongoing swirl of voices that resonated in the back of his mind, which, to his surprise, did not rise in volume. That was odd. If the Evoker was supposed to be a gateway, then why was it not opening? All the variables were there. His Personas were restless and he wanted them to come out. So what was blocking the road?

"Hi, how've you been?"

That voice. He knew that voice. Pivoting, he saw the little boy in those same pajamas sitting on his study chair.

"You again? How did you get in?" Minato asked, Evoker in hand.

"What kind of welcome is that?" the boy replied with a pout. "Besides, I'm always with you. Anyway, I have come to tell you that three days from now, there will be a full moon. A new ordeal will be waiting for you."

"What kind of ordeal?"

"You will encounter one of THEM," he said, teleporting to the base of the door. "I'll come see you again when it's over. Goodbye for now."

He was gone in the blink of an eye. Whether he had used the same disappearing trick as before or actually the door this time, Minato hadn't the slightest clue.

_A new ordeal, a full moon...Moon...Moon?_

_Moon. Shadow. Twelve. Fall. Death. _

_MOON. FULL MOON._

Minato loosened his grip on his Evoker and heard it thump on the wooden floor. His Personas were not chanting nonsense like he had thought. They were chanting the answers.


	11. Monorail

Hey all, I'm finally back. I went for a cruise in the Baltic (which was absolutely fantastic) and besides doing all the stuff tourists do, I did have some time to write this chapter. So here it is, as promised, the Priestess Shadow Operation. Hope the length of it makes up for the lack of updates.

* * *

Mitsuru focused.

It was once again the Dark Hour and she was in the dorm's command room, sitting in front of the monitor. The screen displayed a map of Iwatodai and with the help of her Persona, Penthesilea, she analysed and scanned for any readings of Shadows. The activity was something she had made a daily habit of and while most nights produced little to no results, knowing that even the dorm could be breached by Shadows spurred her to keep at it anyway. She would not take any more chances. Not after the incident involving the injury of a certain stubborn and overconfident boxer, and the violent invocation of S.E.E.S.'s enigma.

Minato's abilities were puzzling, and his words regarding how his Personas spoke to him and raged in his psyche were even more so. Mitsuru should have been worried because the last time she had heard of restless Personas, it led to an operation gone awry, the death of an innocent bystander, and the temporary disbandment of S.E.E.S. But instead, she was intrigued by him; the feeling reminding her of when they first met in that school on that very day. She smiled at those memories and continued to do so when Akihiko entered the room.

"You're still at it?" he asked as he approached.

"Yeah," she replied. "You never know when the enemy might appear and besides, we'll be more prepared if something does happen."

"Makes sense I suppose. But, I thought you couldn't scan outside of Tartarus?"

Mitsuru leaned back in her seat and looked at him. "To be honest, I lack the power. Maybe this is the best Penthesilea can do in terms of data gathering." She sighed. "Although, the power of Persona seems to be much broader than I thought. Possessing more than one, simultaneously summoning more than one. There's something special about Arisato. Speaking of which, have you any new thoughts on what he told me?"

"I suppose the only thing that comes to me is his stability since it hasn't been that long since his awakening," Akihiko said, folding his arms. His brow creased as he thought hard. "Though that can't be right since he had no issues following that night or in our visits to Tartarus. If I remember, I don't think I had any issues after summoning Polydeuces for the first time either. And neither did you."

"Then I guess all that's left to consider is..."

"How similar all this is to Shinji's problem?" Akihiko finished for her and Mitsuru nodded. "Yeah I thought about that too." He chuckled. "Perhaps I should ask him what he thinks the next time I see him."

Mitsuru resisted a sigh. "Perhaps. Just try not to persuade him into rejoining. You already know how he feels about all this."

"You know there's no guarantee of me not asking him right?"

Mitsuru shot Akihiko a look that was somewhere between stern and playful before reverting her attention to the monitor. Even with her warnings, she knew her partner in crime would ask Shinji anyway. She had seen the disappointed face of his every time he returned from meeting with Shinji enough times to know that their meeting included more than just common pleasantries and idle chitchat. But she guessed it was understandable. Another member on the team was always welcome, especially someone who had prior experience with Personas and Shadows. And maybe, just maybe, he would after hearing about Minato's capabilities.

The thought of having Shinji back made her reminisce about the early days of S.E.E.S. when hunting Shadows was more of a competition (usually to see who could slay the most in ten minutes), than a fight for survival. The memories were warm but before her mind could be flooded by them, she felt something obstruct her scanning. Mitsuru pushed outwards with her mind, which was linked to her Persona's, at that area on the map again, and once more ran into the invisible barrier. She tried again and again, and as every prod ended the same way, her heart sank.

"I've found a Shadow," she announced grimly.

"Outside of Tartarus?" Akihiko asked.

Mitsuru nodded. "But something's not right. The reading is far too big for it to be just a regular Shadow."

"Well then, this is going to be fun," he said, crossing over to the control panel and pressing a switch. A blaring alarm sounded through the dorm and it was not long before Minato, Junpei and Yukari assembled in the room.

Mitsuru was not surprised to see the latter two looking sleepy and somewhat annoyed (who wouldn't at this hour) but she was surprised to see Minato's sharp and alert face. It was as if he knew something would happen tonight and ensured to preserve as much stamina for it.

_Just as well I made him field leader._

"Somethin' the matter senpai?" Junpei asked, stifling a yawn.

"Yes. We've detected a Shadow near Iwatodai Station," Mitsuru said. "We don't know for sure but we think it's another big one."

"You mean, like the one that attacked the dorm?" Yukari asked.

"Possibly," Mitsuru said, eyeing Minato's pensive look. She found it odd that he hadn't spoken since when it came to topics such as these, he was always one to take charge. _Did he know that this would happen? Or is he just trying to get in the right state of mind? _She shook the thought aside. Whatever it was, it would have to wait. "Most people don't know that the Dark Hour exists but if the Shadow does try something and half the city is destroyed, there will be panic. We must avoid that all costs." She then turned to address the juniors. "It'll take me a short while to get the equipment ready so you three should head to the station first."

"How about me?" Akihiko asked, a slight grin on his face as he watched Minato and the others head into the armory.

Mitsuru pursed her lips. "You should stay here and wait for the Chairman. You're still in no condition to–"

"Are you kidding?!" Akihiko blurted. "I'm going. I know I still need to recover but that doesn't mean I can't use my Persona. Better that I'm there just in case something happens to you."

"If you so insist," Mitsuru said, sighing. As much as she knew how much of a hindrance Akihiko would be on the battlefield in his current state, arguing with him would be wasting precious time. "In that case, take them to the station and wait for me there. Once I'm ready, I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

The cold wind scratched at Minato's cheeks as he stood at the base of the steps leading to Iwatodai Station with Akihiko and the others. The boy's prediction was correct (Minato really wish it wasn't as things were strange enough already) and the full moon was right there in the hazy sky above, displaying itself as a sphere of expired cheese. He had some idea of what it symbolized but decided to keep his assumptions to himself until the actual day. After all, who would believe his story of a Shadow appearing in three days time? Perhaps Mitsuru and Akihiko would 'think about it' but certainly not Yukari or Junpei. No. The latter would think he had become some creepy fortune teller.

Minato shifted into a more comfortable stance and loosened his saber from its scabbard in an attempt to quell his boredom. At least fifteen minutes had passed since they arrived at the designated rendezvous point and Mitsuru was still nowhere to be seen. Time seemed to have slowed after their mild discussion on how eerie the moon looked and now his patience was running thin. His classmates did not fare any better at the waiting game either; Yukari was tapping her arm while Junpei looked as if he would doze off any minute, even after emptying two cans of energy drinks. Akihiko on the other hand, did not seem to be particularly bothered by the fact that Mitsuru was late.

"Where is she?" Yukari grumbled.

"She'll be here soon," Akihiko replied. "It does take a short while for her to get ready."

"What exactly does that mean?" Minato asked.

Akihiko opened his mouth but instead of replying, his answer came in the form of a low approaching growl. The noise was loud, purging any sense of sleepiness that remained in him, and even though the Dark Hour messed with one's senses, Minato knew what the sound belonged to. He turned in the direction it was coming from (his left) and as he had expected, he was greeted by a single glaring headlight. Looking directly at it was like looking at the sun with a telescope, given the encompassing black-green tinge of the Dark Hour, and when the kickstand snapped into place as the rider dismounted, and the hum of the engine faded away, so did the specks of color in Minato's eyes.

A white Japanese motorcycle with a pair of metal cases attached to its rear stood in front of him. Its aerodynamic curves and shiny, polished exterior made it far from something that was bought from a second hand yard – it oozed quality and class of the highest order.

But it was not alone in that regard.

While Junpei had immediately rushed forward to inspect the vehicle, admiring it as a child would admire, Minato had his attention captured by something else.

Long, slender legs standing in a pair of black heeled boots. A shapely set of hips. And a body so voluptuous that the hugging, dark leather riding one-piece only accentuated the curves which Minato could not take his eyes off. He was not surprised when the removal of the matching colored helmet revealed a wave of long red hair. There was no one else who could afford to maintain a bike like that, let alone possess one in the first place. There was no one else who could pull off that outfit, and knock him off his feet in such fashion.

There was no one else like Kirijo Mitsuru.

His eyes were held by her and for what seemed like a minute, or maybe two, or maybe three, he did nothing but let himself be absorbed by her beauty. He admired her crimson hair that gleamed like an incandescent flame on a cold winter's night, her complexion that was too pale, too natural, too perfect to be makeup, and the figure she cut in that classy yet practical outfit. Any sort of impatience he had had while waiting for her evaporated and suddenly, it seemed that everything they were supposed to do tonight became meaningless and secondary.

Somehow, Minato managed to pull his eyes off her for a moment and glanced at Junpei and Akihiko. The former had looked up from admiring the motorcycle and although he looked a trifle confused as to which of the two had finer curves, Minato knew that Junpei was also smitten. The latter met his gaze from the corner of his eyes and gave him a smirk. _Did Akihiko know she was going to do that? _Minato could only speculate at what the boxer knew and what he did not but as his eyes drifted back to the rider in black, he realized that right now, nothing else mattered.

Except her.

He once again engaged in another session of 'just looking', tightening the grip on his saber every few seconds to remind himself that there was more to tonight than this. But it was not working. He could feel himself being drawn deeper and deeper into her simple spell of just looking so good and for the first time since meeting her, he was frightened. Of the thoughts that zoomed across his mind. Of the images of her that would now never leave him. Of the fact that he would never be free from this euphoric torture. He wanted something to break the illusion but he knew nothing could, nothing could possibly–

"So where's the Shadow?" Yukari asked, adjusting her quiver as she took a step forward.

_Well that did it._

"The Shadow is currently located inside a monorail not far from the station," Mitsuru answered, unaware of all the attention she had drawn. "To get there, you'll have to walk on the tracks."

"I-Isn't that dangerous?" Junpei asked, still speechless (and dazed) by the bike. And her.

"Don't worry," Akihiko said, folding his arms. "The Dark Hour makes all electronics useless, monorails included."

Junpei cocked his head and turned to Mitsuru. "Well if that's the case, then how does your bike work? Or all the other stuff in the dorm?"

"It's special," Mitsuru said as she hung her helmet on the handlebars and shook her hair out.

Minato let his eyes follow the motion, watching her hair settle in its usual, elegant position, and couldn't help but think about where his mind went with her words. _And it has returned. Shit_. Perhaps it was inappropriate to be having such thoughts of her, the daughter of the Kirijo chairman and heiress to the Group no less, race in his mind.

But it was impossible not to.

Not when the image of her leaning on the motorcycle, so sexy and so confident, slowly burned itself into his memory. In his restless adolescent mind, it soon became the sole focus of his thoughts and if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that he wanted her even more than before. No matter how forbidden or 'out of his league' she was.

"In any case, let's get started before the Dark Hour is over. Akihiko and l will be backing you up from here and should be in range at all times," Mitsuru said, pacing over to the bike's rear and tending to the metal cases, which looked to be some sort of scanning apparatus. "It's probably too optimistic to say that the Shadow will remain where it is and do nothing so make sure to be ready for anything. And don't let your guard down."

"Don't worry senpai," Junpei said shouldering his katana, "we'll be fine. Ain't that right Minato?"

Junpei's words pushed Minato out of his trance and he nodded, afraid that speaking would do something to cure the feeling, that felt like sickness, he didn't want cured.

_Focus Minato! This is no time for such foolishness. She's your comrade. Focus!_

Minato tried, succeeding to some degree as he followed Yukari and Junpei up the stairs and to the escalator leading to the platform, and knew he would be utterly lost the next time he looked at her. Or the next time she looked at him. Whichever way it ended up being, he just hoped that he would not be a bumbling idiot when it did. The thought of that scenario occurring bounced around in his mind until he reached the base of the escalator. He could hear _them_ again. And they worried him. Maybe even more than looking at her.

"Something wrong Arisato?" Mitsuru asked, starting to make her way towards him.

Ensuring that the others had gone ahead, Minato pivoted and met her concerned gaze. And as he had predicted earlier, he was lost for words. Anything that he conjured to say just tumbled out of his mouth when he tried to speak and it was only when Akihiko shot him a quizzical look that Minato was able to regain some composure.

"I, uh... It's nothing," he replied, feeling warmth in his cheeks and hoping his face did not give away the fact that his heart was pounding. "I'll be on my way now."

Minato then turned around and ran up the stairs to the platform, knowing full well that Mitsuru, and probably Akihiko too, saw through his lie. It did not matter though. There was no more time for discussion. No more time to admire the image that burned brightly in his mind. There was only time to focus on the enemy they had to fight.

* * *

His focus on battle finally arrived as he joined up with the others and led them to the train that hosted the Shadow. Moving into their usual formation had helped take his mind off her somewhat but Minato knew that he would need her out of his mind completely if he wanted to survive tonight. Thinking of how gorgeous she looked wrapped in leather, regardless of how inspiring it was, would only bring him closer to the brink of a mistake.

As would their current formation. The thought occurred to him as they approached the train and he turned to face Yukari and Junpei.

"We're going to need a different formation," Minato said, placing his hand on the ladder on the side of the monorail.

"What, ya mean this whole thing we've got going ain't gonna work?" Junpei asked, a little irritated that they had to adjust their battle plans.

Minato shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, it still will. But being in a train means we'll be fighting in closer quarters than usual. So we have to be careful of our swings."

"He's right Junpei," Yukari said. "How about I'll stay in the middle this time? That way, you'll both have enough room to not hit each other."

"That sounds good," Minato said, nodding. He turned to Junpei. "You okay with that?"

"Sure, whatever you say man. I'm just following ya," he replied, beckoning for Yukari to ascend the ladder. "Ladies first."

Yukari rolled her eyes before slinging her bow across her shoulder and moving to climb the ladder. Before she ascended, she placed her free hand over the back of her skirt and turned her gaze, which looked to be more of a glare, on both Minato and Junpei.

"Don't look up," she said.

"Geez Yuka-tan, you really think I'm that kinda guy?" Junpei said. He then slumped his shoulders and raised his hand. "You know what, don't answer that."

Yukari scoffed and a little paranoid, hurried up the ladder. Minato spied Junpei subtly (but quite obviously) trying to catch a glimpse of her backside, and watching him do so was enough to remind himself of what he was doing a couple of minutes earlier to a certain someone.

_It's special..._

Her words echoed in his brain and the image of her shaking her hair out returned to take center stage. Minato severed the thought the moment it came but another, this time the sweet tick-tock of her hips as she strode to her bike's rear, took its place. The two images circled like a carousel before finally dissipating as Junpei called out to him.

"Hey dude, you okay?"

Minato turned to see him halfway up the ladder with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm fine," Minato replied, though he knew he really wasn't. _And probably never again._

"Alright man. Just don't space out. You're our leader after all."

That was right. He was their leader. With a job to do. Minato shot one last glance to where she was before pivoting and ascending the ladder into the train. The interior was more spacious than he had presumed and if it weren't for the several upright coffins scattered around the compartment, it would have just been like fighting in the hallways of Tartarus.

"_Can you all hear me?_" Mitsuru's voice spoke in his mind.

"Loud and clear," Minato responded, the sense of battle just overtaking the image that her voice reminded him of. "We've just entered the train and–"

SLAM.

The doors shut, the lights flickered and he cut off, staggering for balance as the train jerked beneath them and started moving.

_Great, should've expected that. _

"_Are you all okay?_" Mitsuru asked.

"We're fine," Minato replied, helping Yukari to her feet. "Although, the train's moving and we're trapped inside."

"_It must be the Shadow. It knows you're there. Be ready for anything!_"

Not a second later after her warning, the first few Shadows materialized in front of them. They were a different breed to the usual masses of goo Minato was accustomed to fighting, gliding across the compartment instead of dragging themselves. Yukari was first to notice their hungry groans and in a flash, she nocked an arrow to her longbow and let it loose.

Hearing the thrum of her bowstring, Minato drew his saber and flicked it in a backhand slash, feeling his sword connect into a soft gooey substance. Ignoring the black blood that sprayed onto him, he shifted into an uppercut, slicing another Shadow clean in half before bringing the blade back in a downward motion to cut another.

And another.

And another.

The train's confined space hardly hindered his fluid movements as he worked his way through the sea of black. It was like watching choreography that came out of a movie; thrusting, dodging, slashing, Shadows exploding in bursts of black goo. The end of the scene arrived faster than Minato had hoped, the remains of the final Shadow a bubbling black puddle. Looking around, he saw that Shadow muck was everywhere. It stuck to his weapon and uniform, the floor, and even dripped from the ceiling lights. When he turned to face Junpei and Yukari, who were equally as drenched in the Shadow blood, their faces were lined with astonishment.

"I got carried away didn't I?" Minato asked.

"Damn straight you did," Junpei replied, adjusting his cap. "Dude, next time save some for the rest of us."

"I'll try. But I can't make any promises."

Junpei shouldered his katana and sighed, unable to fathom how one could get so worked up in wanting to kill Shadows. It was not to say he hadn't any appetite for fighting (he had plenty), but he knew when enough was enough.

Minato supposed he had Akihiko to blame for his insatiable hunger. Exercising with the boxer had taught him more than just proper school etiquette. It had also transferred over the boxer's urge for fighting. Whether that was good or bad however, was irrelevant. He had agreed with Akihiko that once the adrenaline kicked in, its sweetness was too addicting to give up.

"Why do they always have to explode?" Yukari commented, trying to wipe Shadow blood off her pink cardigan. "At this rate, I'm going to have no uniform to wear."

"Come on Yuka-tan, a little Shadow muck can't be that bad," Junpei said with a smirk. "Who knows, it might even be good for your skin."

"Are you stupid or something? There is no way that _this_ is going to make my skin look any better!"

Minato groaned as their bickering unfolded. The topic at hand however, did make him curious. Not at whether Shadow muck made for good skin cream but its potential for affecting battle performance. His saber had been able to do the job perfectly despite the extra weight of the muck that stuck to it but, in an extended fight, he wondered how much more his saber could take before it became as dangerous as a feather duster. He dismissed the thought. Even if it was out of commission, he still had his Personas. And his fists. Making a mental note to ask Akihiko about boxing, he proceeded to walk in between Yukari and Junpei, who were now arguing about potential substitutes for Yukari's ruined uniform.

"In what way does me wearing a maid outfit help in battle?"

"I didn't say you have to wear it, I was just suggesting."

"Ugh, you're unbelievable."

_A maid outfit eh? You really are unbelievable, asking her to wear something like that._ It was not surprising, given the way Junpei was, and it probably would have an interesting effect on the team if Yukari played her role, but Minato thought that it was going a little too far. What made it even worse was something that flickered in his mind for a brief moment. He'd not dare think of it again as it would just bring him back into his hypnotic state, but now that the subject had been brought up, he could feel his resistance crumbling.

"If you two are quite done, we should keep going," Minato said, hoping that speaking of the task at hand would distract him. It did. Barely. Yukari and Junpei turned their attention on him and nodded, before shooting a glance at each other as if to bookmark their conversation.

Minato resisted a sigh and as he turned to approach the door leading to the next car, another Shadow dropped from the ceiling. Its sudden appearance startled him and in his hesitation, it had opened the door to the next car and dashed through. He saw the others reach their weapons upon seeing the Shadow but before they could follow it, he raised a hand to stop them.

"What now? If we don't go after it, we're gonna lose it!" Junpei protested, raising his katana.

"Something's not right. What's the point of revealing yourself and then running away? It makes no sense," Minato replied.

"You know what makes no sense? The fact that we're standing here and letting that piece of crap get away!"

Minato bit his tongue. Of course the time for people to become temperamental had to be now.

"Junpei, we should be careful," Yukari said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It could be another ambush and blindly chasing after it would be foolish."

"Screw your advice!" Junpei snapped, brushing Yukari's hand off. "That thing and the Shadow at the front are going down. Hell, I'll do it myself!"

He then pushed past Minato and Yukari, yanked open the connecting door, and ran after the Shadow in hot pursuit.

_Idiot! _

Minato knew that Junpei had some skill with the katana but his technique was still far from perfect and he had this tendency to swing too wide. There was no doubt that he could put a huge dent into anything that was unlucky enough to be in the katana's path, but it would also leave him exposed for a few seconds. And in battle, where seconds were minutes and minutes were hours, being vulnerable for that long meant you were either dead or close to it.

"That idiot–" Yukari started before Minato seized her arm. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? We have to go after him!" he responded.

Minato dashed to the next car, dragging Yukari along by the arm. As soon as he stepped through, he felt something large tackle him from the right, sending him crashing into the nearby seats. His right arm went numb, his back flared with pain, and he dropped his saber, the blade clanging on the floor. Although his vision was fuzzy, he could still see his attacker approaching, its glare unrelenting and its claw raised.

Then it exploded in a burst of goo as Yukari's arrow hit it square in the head at point blank range. Minato raised his left arm to avoid the muck splashing onto his face, then looked up to see Yukari standing over him with her hand out. He took it, wincing at the pain in his side as he stood up.

"Are you alright?" Yukari said.

"I'm fine," Minato replied, inhaling deeply. He tried to push forward but Yukari kept her hold on him. "Yukari..."

"You won't be of much help to anyone in this state. Please, let me heal you."

"Save yourself the hassle. We need to get to Junpei." He shook her off and took another step but the stabbing pain in his side was too much. His legs gave way and if it were not for Yukari holding him back, he would have fell face first.

"See, you're not fine. Don't worry, it'll only take a second," Yukari said, reaching for her Evoker. She placed it against her temple and concentrated. "Io!"

Minato looked up to see a blonde haired maiden on a seat that was carved into the head of an Egyptian jackal. The Persona, Io, gently cupped her hands on his head and a shimmering glow enveloped them. He felt a cooling sensation ripple through his body, erasing the pain and numbness. It was so relaxing that he was disappointed when it was all over.

"Feel better now?" Yukari asked, holstering her Evoker.

"I guess," Minato said, avoiding her gaze. _Damn, she's right. I do feel better._ "If I had known you could do that, I would've gotten out of that hospital a lot sooner.

"Well I was told not to. Mitsuru-senpai's orders."

_Thought so._ Though he wondered why that was the case. It certainly would have made his week absence from school that much easier to explain. Perhaps the healing only worked on physical injuries? Whatever the case, a distinct shout from up ahead pulled him out of his thoughts.

"_Arisato!_" Mitsuru's voice chimed in his mind. "_Iori is already at the front car. You need to assist him immediately!_"

"Understood," Minato replied, collecting his saber from the floor. He shared a quick look with Yukari, who must have also heard the instruction, and they pushed forward to the front car.

Upon arrival, they saw it. A waxy black-white body hunched against the train's dashboard, its legs spread out shamelessly. Its hair that was a collection of scrolls, fluttering in the air. The glare it gave through its magenta butterfly mask. The aura of power around the Shadow brought a sense of familiarity in Minato that reminded him of the night he was on the dorm's rooftop. He did not know how or why seeing the Shadow was like seeing a long lost sibling but he did not care. The Shadow was a threat and it had to die.

But before he could engage or even take a step forward, Junpei crashed into him, the katana flying out of his grip and narrowly missing Yukari. The collision had knocked them back into the previous car in a tangled mess and he heard the Shadow cackle in amusement.

"Damn thing," Junpei grumbled, standing and reaching for his katana. "I'll get you this time!"

"Wait!" Minato said, seizing Junpei's arm. "We need to do this as a team."

"Fine! But I'm taking the lead."

Minato nodded and letting go of his arm, they rushed back to join Yukari at the front car. _Might as well let him be leader just this once._ He drew his saber and stared at his opponent, feeling the drive of adrenaline heighten his senses and clear the remnants of any distractions that lingered. He tightened his grip on his saber, waiting for Junpei's signal.

"Hermes!" Junpei yelled, squeezing the trigger.

A mechanical humanoid with a winged helmet materialized behind Junpei and lashed out at the Shadow, using its pair of golden wings that were ablaze as blades. The Shadow easily parried the attack using a strand of its scroll-like hair, causing the air to sizzle, before launching a shard of jagged ice at the Persona. Hermes dissipated, but the moment he did was when Minato and Yukari attacked. Orpheus and Io were summoned and together, they struck the Shadow with a combination of fire and wind. Smoke filled the cabin as the Shadow was hit and as it screeched in pain, it seemed as though the battle was over.

It was not.

The feeling of victory faded completely when they felt the train speed up even faster than before. Being accustomed to the constant motion, the change in speed felt unnatural and the sudden jerk made them stagger for balance.

It also left them wide open.

The Shadow swiped at them with its hair, knocking all into the sides of the cabin. The pain Minato had felt earlier shot back into his body and as he looked across the room to see both Yukari and Junpei unconscious, he knew this fight had to end now. But what could he do? His was too drained of energy to grip his saber, let alone wield it in a fighting stance, and his Personas...

_My Personas. They're calling again. But, it feels different this time. It's almost as if..._

Minato pushed himself to his feet and using his saber to steady himself, faced the Shadow. Staring at its haughty smile, he raised his left hand, spinning the Evoker in his fingers.

Once.

Twice.

Then he placed the cold barrel to the side of his head and squeezed.

No hesitation. No resistance. He allowed them to take control, to do whatever they wanted to do.

He felt the surge of two different Personas rise from within him and upon materializing, they merged in a white flash to create another. One that was a small, floating Halloween pumpkin head covered in a wizard's cloak and hat, and carrying a lantern.

Ignoring the Shadow's laugh at its feeble appearance, the new Persona cloaked itself in a fiery shield, melting the shards of ice that the Shadow charged and sent. The Persona then transferred the shield's energy into spears of fire that flew across the room.

Hungry flames seared the Shadow's flesh and Minato watched as its body hissed and wavered. It then exploded, and the raw energy that was hurled outwards pushed Minato to his feet. He was not given a second to recover as the train then lurched forward and sent him stumbling into the hands of Yukari and Junpei, who had managed to recuperate. Minato was about to utter a word of thanks but stopped when he noticed their faces pale. He pivoted and looking out the cabin's windshield, he spied a small white blip that was growing larger by the second.

They had thought that killing the Shadow would be the end of it. But their enemy had one final trick up its sleeve. To keep the train accelerating.


	12. Fragments

A/N: Deepest apologies for not updating in a long while. I kinda lost interest in the pairing of this fic and once school started again, my motivation to write just went downhill. They've both slowly started to return though so don't worry, this won't be an unfinished fic. In regards to my updates, I'll try my best to keep the ball rolling. They'll probably be more erratic than before but not as long as this.

Anyway, this chapter will finish off the Spring arc and my next update will bring the heat of Summer in. Hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

Minato stood in the train's front cabin, eyes fixated on the windshield and in complete disbelief at the way the world sped past him in a nauseating flash of green and black. Seeing how much track was left made his heart sink. Not enough rail and not enough time. He had considered jumping ship but that idea was dismissed once he remembered that all the doors were locked. And that jumping out at this speed would have killed them all the same anyway. He grimaced. There was only one solution.

Shaking off the web of fear that glued his feet to the floor, he rushed over to the conductor's console and began wiping away as much muck, that was left behind by their enemy, as possible. In doing so, he could see the fast approaching outline of the stationary train up ahead and his heart raced even faster.

_Brakes? Where are the god damn brakes?_

Minato scanned through the console, his eyes flying over the random assortment of buttons, dials, switches and levers, before finally resting on a lever that looked a trifle suspicious. There. That had to be it. He grasped the lever but before he pulled, he hesitated. _But is it though? What if I'm wrong? _The doubts swirled in his mind and for a moment, he was paralyzed.

"Oh shit. We're gonna crash!" Junpei yelled beside him.

"Minato! Do something!" Yukari cried.

Their voices in combination with a glance at the windshield told him all he needed to know and Minato pulled the lever down. The train shuddered violently as he did so and the sound of metal on metal screeched all around them. A surge of triumph raced through his veins but it faded just as fast as it came when he realized that it was not enough. They were still too close. He frantically searched the console one last time for anything that looked different–

_Found it!_

Gripping hold of another lever that stood out among the rest, Minato yanked it. Hard. Although the lever did not budge at all, he pulled again and again. He would not let tonight's effort be in vain. They had come too far. He took another deep breath and as he pulled for what seemed like the seventh time, he felt two pairs of hands clasp his. The added strength of Yukari and Junpei was just enough to make the lever budge a little.

Then a little bit more.

_Almost there... Almost..._

They hit the floor as the lever gave way, sliding into place with a thud. The screech of grinding metal rose to a piercing scream that rivaled a banshee's wail as the secondary brakes were enabled, and the force of the sudden drop in speed flung everyone forward. Minato saw Junpei stumble into the base of the console on his right, saw Yukari crash into his chest, and saw everything go sideways as he himself slammed into the windshield. He grunted at the pain erupting from his shoulder and shot one glance at the train that they were about to smash into. Then he shut his eyes and braced himself for the collision that would send them into oblivion.

Speeding, slowing, screeching, shuddering.

And then it all stopped.

The screech of the brakes faded and the train jerked one last time before coming to a reluctant halt. A deafening silence followed. With his eyes closed, the only semblance of life Minato knew was the ringing of his ears and the pain that pulsed throughout his body. He inhaled, and let out a small sigh. They had survived.

He waited another minute, trying to gather what strength he had left, and was about to answer the call of duty when he heard Mitsuru's voice.

"_Is everybody alright?_" she asked. Even though her tone was nothing Minato hadn't heard before, it sounded so wonderful and soothing. Especially after the nail-on-blackboard noise that seemed to never end.

"We're okay Mitsuru-senpai," Minato said quietly, placing a hand on the console to steady himself as he made his way to Junpei and Yukari.

"_I'm so glad you're all safe. Akihiko and I will be waiting at Moonlight Bridge so when you're ready, please make your way there." _

"Roger that."

As Junpei helped Yukari to her feet, Minato shifted his gaze at the window directly opposite him to see that the full moon was still there, its milky yellow glow ever so sickly bright. He then turned and looking out through the windshield, stiffened at just how close they were to greeting the hands of death. He was not sure if the Dark Hour could mess with measurement as well but the other train's rear was inches away from the windshield.

Upon noticing this, Yukari placed a hand over her mouth and Junpei swore. Minato was about to comment when he felt it. A tactile shift in the air that felt like walking through a waterfall. The familiar tingling feeling returned to rattle his bones as the world rippled around him. He shook it off, hearing the sounds of faraway traffic replace the oppressive silence, seeing the moon revert to a pure shade of silver, and feeling the temperature climb high enough to make him sweat, as he did so. The sense of wrongness vanished and the stagnant odor transformed into an acrid mixture of pollution and smoking steel.

The Dark Hour was over and for once, Minato was glad.

* * *

The moments of relief were not to last.

It seemed strange to think that there was still something that worried him after being inches away from death but as they trekked their way across the monorail tracks, into the station and out onto Moonlight Bridge, a part of Minato wished that they had crashed instead. The reason? Why only to be free from the one souvenir of tonight. He felt ashamed that something as trivial as this could affect him the way it did but without a task to focus on, he knew there was nothing else that would keep his mind occupied.

He could not think of any worthwhile thoughts to contribute to Yukari and Junpei's discussion at how they almost died. He could not summon the curiosity to wonder how a monorail that had magically left its stationary position would be covered in the news. He could only concentrate on how he would handle himself around Mitsuru in her ravishing outfit.

It was unsettling that he was fascinated to this extent but he supposed this was what Junpei had mentioned not too long ago about the difference between 'magazines' and reality; the former holding your attention for a far shorter time than the latter. An intuitive concept but one Minato never really understood until now. And as they approached Mitsuru and Akihiko, who were standing by a familiar black limousine looking as amused as they were relieved, he could not stop himself from stealing another glance.

"Well doesn't this look familiar," Akihiko said with a grin.

"What do ya mean senpai?" Junpei asked, raising an eyebrow.

It took a few seconds for Minato to register what he meant but seeing Akihiko look at Yukari, who then proceeded to sigh, was enough to remind him that they were drenched in Shadow blood.

_Just wonderful. Now I feel even worse for looking._

"Indeed it does," Mitsuru said, taking a few steps forward. "But that aside, you all did a great job. I know it won't mean much now but I apologize for not being able to do more on our end. We weren't expecting the Shadow to be smart enough to have planned a last resort." She then cast her eyes to the side.

"Don't worry about it," Minato managed to say. She turned her eyes on him and seeing she still looked guilty for placing them in such danger, he added, "If anything, stopping the train made us work better as a team." At this, her lips curled into a small smile and not wanting to be lost in it, he turned around. "Isn't that right Junpei?"

Junpei chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah yeah. I won't run off like that again. Although, I still wanna know how you stopped the train. Like, how did you know which one was the brake?"

Minato looked from Junpei, to Yukari, to his senpai and back to Junpei. And shrugged, already knowing what was to follow. "To be completely honest, it was a lucky guess."

"Are you shittin' me?! Dude, we could've died!" Junpei blurted, his eyes wide with shock. When he noticed he was the only one making a deal out of it, he collected himself and shouldered his katana. "Ah whatever. I guess it doesn't matter as long as we're alive. You guys wanna grab a bite to eat? I'm freakin' hungry."

"At this hour?" Yukari said. "You just had something to eat before the operation."

No sooner than she had finished speaking, there was a sound that perfectly summed up the situation.

Junpei's stomach.

"Obviously not enough," Junpei said, grinning as he walked to the limousine.

Yukari sighed and followed him. When she was halfway to the limousine, she turned to see Minato still standing with Akihiko and Mitsuru. "You're all not coming?"

"We will be, I just need to make a call to the Chairman first," Mitsuru replied, flipping her cell phone open.

Watching Yukari nod and walk off, Minato felt someone tap his shoulder.

"You should probably keep her company," Akihiko said, folding his arms. "I'm not sure how much more of Junpei's antics she can handle."

"Yeah I should," Minato said. "But there's something I need to tell both of you. It's a matter relating to my Personas."

Upon hearing this, Mitsuru halted her dialing and approached him, while Akihiko's brow creased.

"Are they holding up okay?" Mitsuru asked.

"They're fine," Minato started, trying to arrange his thoughts. "It's more of what happened during our fight with the Shadow." Looking both of them in the eye, he took a deep breath and explained how two of his Personas had fused to create another. When he was done, Mitsuru and Akihiko exchanged glances.

"Looks like we'll need to let the Chairman know about this," Akihiko said after some time.

"I agree," Mitsuru said. "Wielding multiple Personas is one thing but fusing them?" She trailed off and looked up at the silver moon, thinking about his words. Then she returned her gaze onto Minato. "Thanks for letting us know. I'm afraid any explanation is currently beyond us but if fusing Personas together creates stronger ones, then it can only be beneficial to our cause. The main thing Akihiko and I are worried about is if you lose control."

And she shot Akihiko a look that, in Minato's eyes, resembled something similar to when they were in the limousine together. Why were they so afraid? Minato knew that a berserk Persona had the potential to be very dangerous but the way his senpai cringed every time they brought up the subject meant that something had to have happened. He considered asking but decided he would not try to pry. At least, not tonight.

"In any case, you seem to be coping with your Personas well so I don't think fusing poses any significant threat," Mitsuru continued. She turned to Akihiko. "I'll go and personally inform the Chairman about this."

"Do you need me to tag along?" Akihiko asked.

Mitsuru shook her head. "That won't be necessary. You make sure they all get some rest. Besides, with another Shadow of this reading now making an appearance, I'll probably need to re-calibrate our scanning equipment as well to account for the fact that they are anomalies."

"I don't think they're anomalies Mitsuru-senpai," Minato said suddenly and found himself to be center of attention once again. _Great, now I'm going to confuse them even more._

"What do you mean by that?" Mitsuru asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I mean, I know they're different to the normal Shadows in Tartarus but there's something else about them. It's hard to explain but, when I faced the one on the rooftop and now this one, I got this feeling that I've seen them before. Or, I know them somehow."

Seeing Mitsuru and Akihiko's dubious looks made him wish he had not spoken. He knew something based on a 'feeling' was not persuasive at all and almost decided to waive his argument when he recalled the words his Personas chanted.

_Moon. Shadow. Twelve. Fall. Death._

And then it came together like a jigsaw puzzle.

"Do you remember that afternoon when you handed me my new Evoker?" he asked. They nodded, slowly, and he explained the words his Personas repeated. "If I've got this right, I think that each full moon will bring another Shadow like this. And since there's twelve in total, we'll have to prepare for ten more."

A few moments of silence passed as Mitsuru and Akihiko turned over the information, their expressions darkening. Then Akihiko spoke.

"I'm not sure about this," he said, folding his arms. "I'd like to believe you but it just seems too..."

"Easy?" Mitsuru finished for him and Akihiko nodded. "I must say I would have never thought that these Shadows would be related but now that you bring it up, it might be possible. However, I think it's too early to call anything. We should wait for the next full moon before we jump to any conclusions."

Minato could not blame them for being skeptical. Having an answer this early would make anyone doubtful. But his Personas couldn't be wrong. Not when they made sense like this. Or could they? He shook the thought aside. There was no need to fret over it now; it could be dealt with later. When the information was more concrete. He was about to respond in agreement when it flashed in his mind.

Fragmented images.

Of Moonlight Bridge and the vast starless sky. Of the blood stains on the flaming wreckage that looked to be some sort of car before its deformation. And finally of the humanoid silhouettes approaching him, all passing by in the same sequence as the many times he tried recalling how his parents died. It would have been something he could ignore but this time, there was something else about these images.

Especially the silhouettes. The level of detail had risen above simple outlines of humans and although it was not much, Minato could make out the differences between the two silhouettes that were approaching him. The one on the left was taller, much taller, than the one on the...

_...right. Strange. Who are they? They look familiar._

"Anyway, I better get going," Mitsuru said as she turned to head off to her bike, causing the fragments to shatter. "We'll delve into this another day once the Chairman has been informed. Unless, there's anything else?"

Minato pursed his lips as he held her pensive stare, but decided his senpai had had enough of his speculations for one day. "No, there's nothing else. "

"Alright then," she replied, tying her hair up and mounting her steed. "Make sure you get some rest." She looked to Akihiko, inclined her head, and initiating the ignition, she took off and disappeared down the bridge.

Once the growl of her bike faded into the night, Minato and Akihiko made their way to the limousine.

"Ten more Shadows huh?" Akihiko said as they walked. From the corner of his eye, Minato could see a hint of a grin. "If that's really the case then I had better help you guys train. Just to make sure tonight's close call doesn't happen again."

"When do you think you'll be able to join us?" Minato asked.

"Another few weeks or so. Judging from the way you led Iori and Takeba tonight though, whether I'm with you guys or not won't matter too much. At least, that's what Mitsuru thinks anyways."

Minato stopped walking. "Wait. Is that the reason I'm field leader? Because of her?"

"More or less," Akihiko replied with a nod. "She knows you're capable in combat and trusts your judgement. That and you get along with the others much better than we would." He paused, wondering if he had said too much but shrugged. "I think that's solid reasoning as to why she chose you."

"I suppose," Minato said, though deep down he questioned it. _Me, getting along well with Yukari and Junpei? Really? _ He knew that statement would eventually ring true but as of now, it was as false as it could be. Being their leader was of no help either; instead of granting him control, it only served to create more tension between them. Why else would Junpei have pulled off that rash stunt? Why else would Yukari have questioned him so?

He looked out into the darkness which connected the sea and sky, conflicted by Mitsuru's decision. He did not know her true intentions. Her true reasoning. And the amount of frustration it had caused him so far – the contagious jealousy, the suspicious looks and the annoying questions – made him want to throw his anger at her, regardless of how smitten he was. As tempting as it was however, he knew he could never do it. She had done too much for him, and more importantly, she trusted him. That alone was enough to ensure he would honor her wishes, and be ready when she needed him.


	13. Ghosts

A/N: And here's Summer! In all seriousness though, this chapter will mark the beginning of the Fuuka arc and I plan to have this arc go for about another 5 chapters. Also for clarification and all you Minato/Mitsuru shippers out there, you can rest easy because I'm not changing the pairing. My loss of interest in it was just the cause of me not updating for a long while. Apologies if the A/N on the previous chapter was misleading.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter, comment and review if you feel like it, and I'll see you next time in the alleyways of Port Island.

P.S. I hope Elizabeth is in character.

* * *

The roar of coins cascading into a wishing fountain.

It was all Minato could hear and see (as well as the everyone else in the vicinity), but not believe. How could he believe it? No purse could hold that many coins. It was impossible. Unless however, it was some magic trick and he had fallen for it.

_Nope, I can see the coins piling up in the water. Is that really two thousand five hundred Yen coins?_

"Oh my," Elizabeth said, halting the deluge of metal.

"What's the matter?" Minato asked as he led her away from the fountain and tried to avoid all the stares and raised eyebrows.

"I realized that I was so caught up in the excitement of tossing the coins, that I hadn't given my wish any thought." Elizabeth shook her head. "This won't do. I guess I'll give it more careful consideration when I return here in the near future."

Minato's heart sank. "You're planning to return here again?"

"Well of course," Elizabeth replied, before turning on her heel and walking off to examine the next item that piqued her interest. Knowing that she could get into trouble at any moment, Minato raced after her.

And so the date continued. Or, what Minato thought was meant to be a date. He hadn't been on many dates before but the concept seemed intuitive enough that he had a fairly good idea of what to expect. After spending less than half an hour with Elizabeth however, answering her often redundant questions and watching her gaze in awe at the most ordinary things, he realized that no amount of practice could ever prepare him for something like this. Not even the most suave man in the world would be able to work his magic with someone who was more interested in wishing fountains.

"Say Minato-sama," Elizabeth said as they neared a fashion boutique, "you must tell me, whatever are those headless figures standing there for? Are they used to inform people that you can get decapitated whilst wearing that particular clothing?"

Suppressing the urge to cringe, to yell, to hit his head repeatedly against a wall, Minato turned to face her and chuckled nervously to release the odd mix of stress and hilarity that overcame him.

"Oh I hope not," he said, his cheek muscles forcing a smile. "They're mannequins, just used to show people what a piece of clothing would look like on a person. Not all of them are headless, some of the stores we passed earlier had ones with heads."

"Is that so?" Elizabeth replied, still eyeing those 'mannequins'. "Well then, this particular store is quite misleading isn't it?"

"I guess?" Minato said with a nod. He did not dare try to press the argument any further for he noticed one of the workers in the store looking to approach them. "Why don't we go and have a look around over there? I think there's another wishing fountain."

Elizabeth perked up the moment he mentioned that and headed off in the direction he had pointed towards like a child running after an ice cream truck. Minato could only smile as he followed her. That smile did not last long though because once he caught up with her, and realized she had opened her purse, flipped it upside down and unleashed another metallic cascade, he was speechless yet again. He supposed it could not be helped and stood in silence as he watched what appeared to be another two thousand five hundred Yen coins tumble into the water.

_Better she pour coins into the fountain again than explain to the workers her interpretation of those mannequins._

"So, did you make sure to give your wish some thought this time?" he asked once she was done, trying to remain oblivious to the befuddled onlookers and the fact that another million Yen decorated the floor of the fountain.

"I most certainly did," Elizabeth replied, a grin of satisfaction creeping across her flawless face as she turned to return where he stood.

Minato wondered what exactly a denizen of the Velvet Room could wish for. It had to be something outlandish at the very least. Anything else, anything regular people considered normal was out of the question.

"Well Minato-sama, I think that's enough exploration for today. Shall we head back?" she continued.

Minato nodded and they made their way back (which took just as long as arriving here thanks to Elizabeth's unsatisfied curiosity) to a hallway beneath a staircase leading to the karaoke bar. As suspicious as it looked, with its navy blue aura and dim lighting, he thought it odd that no one had bothered to inspect the hallway and reported it for anything. He shrugged off the thought as he approached a familiar blue door and stopped when Elizabeth turned to face him.

"Thank you for the invaluable experiences you've shared with me today," she said. "This may sound forward but if you don't mind, I'd like to accompany you again sometime."

"Sure, I'm up for it," Minato replied without a second thought. "Perhaps somewhere a little less busy would be better I think."

"Perhaps. I'll inform you when the time arrives." She moved towards the door and placed her hand on the handle. "Until we next meet."

A powerful blue flash emanated as Elizabeth entered the Velvet Room and in seconds, her and the door had vanished.

* * *

Minato stood in the empty hallway and stared at where the door had once been.

_What just happened?_

_ You just signed yourself up for another one of her 'dates'_ the other voice in his mind replied.

_It's not a date. It's an exploration of the human world._

_ As if you truly believe that._

The two sides bickered back and forth as he wandered his way out of Paulownia Mall and into the dimly lit streets of Iwatodai, where the humidity hit him in full force. It was uncommon for the heat to be this heavy so early in the season, and in the evening, but Minato paid little attention to it for his mind was still focused on Elizabeth and the wacky date. Well, as wacky as it was and as eccentric as she was, he had to admit the dat- exploration of the human world, was enjoyable, albeit in a strange way. Instead of finding satisfaction through learning more about her and admiring her undeniably good looks, something he thought common to normal dates, he found it in explaining what that store was and why this store sold that and what wishes that fountain could grant. Certainly an unusual source of entertainment but something he supposed would be worth keeping in mind the next time he went out with her. Or some other girl for that matter.

_Someone like Mitsuru?_

The thought erupted in his mind like a gang of drunk gate-crashers invading a party and before he could get a grip on his train of thought, the haunting images of her resurfaced once again. At school in those lovely boots, in the dorm with her white sleeveless turtleneck, and finally on Moonlight Bridge where she had worn _that _outfit. A sinful mix of lust and excitement charged through his body as her curves came into view and it was a hot blast of a wind to the face which reminded him he was out on the streets of Iwatodai. Not on that forsaken bridge.

He stopped walking and wiped the sweat trickling from his brow in an effort to close his imagination. And then swore to himself before resuming his return to the dorm. He would have thought by now, about three weeks after that operation, he would be over it. Not over her (he didn't think it was possible considering he saw her almost every day), but at least over those memories. As much as he wanted the liberty of not having ghosts in his head however, he had a feeling they might be able to explain those fragmented images. Whatever they were.

He let out a sigh as he reached the dorm and stood in front of the double handed doors, looking like a lost child or a kid trying to sell cookies as part of a fundraiser. Today was one of those days where everyone was in the dorm. While there was nothing special about these days, Minato made sure to be diligent in watching what he said around Yukari and Junpei. Especially matters relating to full moon Shadows and other things both Mitsuru and Akihiko agreed to not disclose. Ensuring his mind was where he wanted it to be and not off galloping on some forbidden fantasy, he entered the dorm.

All his friends were seated on the arrangement of sofas in the foyer; Junpei was furiously mashing buttons on that PSP of his, Yukari was reading a magazine that had fashion and gossip written all over it, and Akihiko was polishing a pair of cestuses that looked to be the same pair he had been attending to yesterday. Minato could not see what Mitsuru was doing for she had her back to him but he did not have to. He knew she was drinking tea from the flowery aroma that decorated the lobby. Chamomile to be precise.

_And I thought I was the only who liked that. _

"Oh hey, you're back," Yukari said, placing her magazine on the coffee table. The others looked up from what they were doing and greeted him with a nod. As Minato took a seat beside her, she continued, "So, any new thoughts on the rumor going around school?"

Minato blinked and let his eyes wander around the room as he tried to process her words. Rumors? Around school? He was about to ask what she meant when it hit him.

"If you mean the one regarding Yamagishi's disappearance, then not really," Minato replied, leaning into the sofa. "Why, have you managed to find more information?"

Nodding, Yukari proceeded to bring up what gossip she had collected on the subject. She was a lot more talkative than she had been in a while but as he listened, there was not much he hadn't already heard before.

"That's quite a bit of info you got there Yuka-tan," Junpei said, placing his PSP down. "But did you see that post on the student message board?"

Yukari eyed him. "What post?"

"The one about how it was an angry spirit from a ghost story?"

"H-Hey! We promised not to go there. Besides, nobody believes that stuff."

"Nobody might believe it but, it is usually the most unbelievable things that turn out to be the most believable," Mitsuru said, her calm composure confusing Yukari to no end. "So, what is this ghost story about?"

"Glad you asked senpai," Junpei said, his grin growing wider as he leaned forward to grab a flashlight on the lower shelf of the coffee table. "Minato, if you could..."

Minato stood up, crossed over to where the light switches were, and flicked them off. Upon returning, Junpei held the flashlight up, illuminated his face and began the show.

"Good evening," Junpei said in his most ominous voice. "Welcome to 'Junpei's Believe it or Don't.' Before I continue, you should know that strange things happen in this world. Many strange things. And according to one story, if you get caught at school late in the night, you'll be devoured by a maniacal ghost that roams the halls!"

Minato felt Yukari shift in her seat at Junpei's sudden crescendo. It was bearable at first but as the campfire story went on, he himself also began to feel restless. Not at Junpei, or Yukari or even at the fact that despite gathering a fair amount of information, they still hadn't made much progress since the previous week.

But at his Personas.

They had calmed down in the few weeks after the train operation but upon learning of Fuuka's disappearance, he felt the tension rise again. It was gentle at first, like a subtle pluck of a guitar's strings but now, the vehement strums he felt every minute or two hummed in his veins like a second pulse. The heaviness that summer brought along did not help either; it only placed him even closer on the edge of getting into a fight.

Minato closed his eyes as Junpei reached the climax of his tale and tried to regain his focus by reviewing everything they had learnt so far. Yamagishi Fuuka. A supposedly ordinary student from Class 2-E turned unordinary ever since Akihiko met her in the hospital and later mentioned that she had the potential. He thought the recruiting process would have been smooth sailing since he had seen the girl around Gekkoukan a few times and noticed nothing about her that would make her difficult. But of course, the day he and Mitsuru had planned to invite her to the dorm, was the day she had vanished. As such, time that was not spent at Tartarus was devoted to researching her background and the recent events surrounding her at school.

Events that now apparently involved ghosts if Junpei's story had any semblance of truth in it. Minato was skeptical when it came to issue like these but, there was evidence that supported the 'let's blame it on the supernatural' argument; namely a girl who had bullied Fuuka ending up unconscious in front of the school gate the other day.

There was one other theory that Minato believed much more and felt that the others did as well even if they did not show it. She was lost in Tartarus. The theory was not discussed often since everyone knew the last thing they wanted it to involve were Shadows but, with another week passing by and still no progress, it was becoming more and more plausible.

His reflection was cut short when the lights snapped back on and he opened his eyes to see Junpei smiling, Yukari uneasy, and both of his senpai deep in thought.

"So, what do you think Akihiko?" Mitsuru asked, pondering over Junpei's words.

"Well, as crazy as it sounds, I think it's worth investigating," Akihiko replied, lifting his gaze to meet hers.

"Y-You really think so senpai?" Yukari asked, shifting in her seat.

Junpei eyed her, a small glint in his eyes. "Wow, I didn't know you were afraid of ghosts Yuka-tan. That's kinda funny."

"Shut it Junpei!" Yukari snapped before turning to Akihiko. "F-Fine then, let's investigate it. I'll prove to you that this ghost story is just some urban legend!"

Mitsuru nodded in agreement. "I appreciate that. Although, the story is a bit unnerving..."

As she trailed off, Minato noticed that she looked as uncomfortable as Yukari. He was surprised. It was rare to see her composure waver.

"I'm sure it's just a myth," he said in an effort to reassure both. Mitsuru and Yukari turned to face him, their expressions softening. "But right now, it's looking to be a much more solid piece of evidence than the others. Especially since we don't have much information to support that she's lost in Tartarus."

"You're right," Mitsuru replied, standing up. "Looks like we'll have to postpone exploration in Tartarus once again. Akihiko, let's get back to the command room to sort this out."

Akihiko, irritated that he could not squeeze any more time for training, sighed and followed her up the stairs. Once their footsteps faded, Yukari also stood up.

"Alright, I didn't want to mention this in front of our senpai but I've actually got lots of good info," she said. "Stuff that I haven't told you. It turns out no angry ghost was involved."

"You serious?" Junpei asked. When Yukari nodded, he groaned. "Man, all my hard work into my little show was all for nothing."

"Not really. It gave _them_ something to look into. Anyway, I found out that the rumor spread so quickly because in addition to the girl who was found on the school grounds, there were two more victims who had to be hospitalized. And even though they were in different classes and didn't seem to be connected, they all had one thing in common."

"They hung out together?" Minato asked.

As Yukari nodded, Junpei shot a look at Minato. "Hey, how do you know?"

"It seems pretty obvious doesn't it?" Minato replied, shrugging.

"Well, I suppose."

Yukari cleared her throat to demand their attention. "He's right. They didn't just hang out once or twice either. They got in with a bad crowd and were always out late. It can't be just a coincidence. So to find out what happened, we're going to do some field research tomorrow."

"What?" Junpei exclaimed. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope. From what I've heard, there's this one place where the three victims were regulars."

Junpei's eyes widened. "Wait, you're not talkin' about that place behind Port Island Station are you?"

"Oh, you're familiar with it?"

"You can't go there! I've heard some nasty stuff about that place!"

"Is that so?" Yukari asked, not appearing to believe his protest. "Well in that case, we should all go together." She turned to Minato. "You'll come, right?"

Thinking over his response, Minato averted his gaze from the innocent, pleading look she gave and glanced at Junpei. From the way he was shaking his head furiously, maybe it really was a place they ought to avoid. He could already imagine what was waiting for them in some back alley but Yukari seemed very determined and would go regardless.

_Let's just see how determined. _

"I don't think it's a good idea," he finally said.

"See, you heard da man. Forget it. That place is bad news," Junpei said, a small grin forming. "I mean, don't you think we're getting in over our heads?"

Yukari scoffed. "Up until now, all we've done is take orders. Does that feel right to you?"

Minato and Junpei exchanged a glance. Neither of them had expected her to be so persistent. It was one thing to be able to take initiative but when what they knew of every matter relating to S.E.E.S. didn't even scratch the surface, it seemed prudent to just follow orders. Still, Yukari had a point, and although it was probably a very bad idea, there was no stopping her now.

"I know what you mean but, did ya have to say it like that?" Junpei remarked with a sigh. "Now we're gonna have to go."

"Seems like it," Minato agreed, mulling over what to bring. An idea popped into his head and he smiled. "If that's the case, we better not be going empty handed." He then stood up and started to make his way to the armory in the command room.

"And just how are you going to explain why you're carrying a saber around?" Yukari asked, folding her arms.

Minato turned and looked at her, a smirk on his face. "Who said I'd be bringing a saber?"


	14. Punks

A/N: Hey all, back with another chapter. I apologize for the month's wait, this chapter was actually a little harder to write than before due to the fact that I wanted to take a more realistic approach to it and incorporate a flashback.

So a couple of things about this chapter. Firstly, there's some swearing. I know in Persona there are several characters who swear occasionally but for this scene, I felt that the punks deserved it because it reinforced their image as people not to mess with. I'm not too sure whether or not the f-word and such is valid for a T-rated fic so if anybody knows where the fine line is, I'd appreciate it if you let me know.

Then there's the flashback, or what I like to think of as a Social Link that should have been in the game. It's my first time trying something out like this so I hope it doesn't disrupt the flow of what actually goes down in this chapter.

Anyway, that's enough of me rambling. Enjoy the chapter, and I'll see you next time at Gekkoukan High.

* * *

Yukari wasted no time.

The moment class was over, she had dragged both Minato and Junpei from their seats and all the way to the backstreets of Port Island Station; what the latter liked to call 'hell on Earth.' With thick layers of clouds acting as insulators across the melancholic sky and a warm breeze gently brushing his face, Minato thought Junpei's description was a tad exaggerated. But seeing as though Yukari seemed not to care, he kept his mouth shut, his hands in his pockets, and followed her down the maze of corridors that turned this way and that.

Just when he thought Yukari had lost her way and they were wandering around looking for an exit that did not exist, the corridors finally opened into a courtyard. Minato took a quick survey of the area, wondering why Yukari wanted to come here of all places and how anything or anybody here could be of any use. The liquor soaked walls stained with graffiti. The air that was heavy with smoke and stank of sewerage. The unwelcoming stares of the several homeless people scattered around the area. Coming to a place like this in the early evening was more like a suicide mission and the warning signs were so blatant that Minato did not understand how Yukari could just look past them. Surely she had to be uncomfortable as she had been on that train. He knew Junpei was.

_Well I guess when you've been _this_ close to meeting death, I suppose a couple of thugs would pose little threat. _

"You know Yuka-tan, I still think this is a bad idea," Junpei said, trying to ignore the eyes of the homeless. "How are you afraid of ghosts but not this?"

"It's easy to get freaked out by something you can't see, don't you think?" she replied, keeping her eyes forward.

"Actually, I'm more worried about things I CAN see. Like bats, and knives!"

Yukari glared at Junpei. She appeared ready to retort but instead swallowed the words, let out a sigh, and resumed her inspection of the area, still with great ignorance of the danger they were in.

"Man, it's a good thing you're here," Junpei said, turning to Minato. He did not sound at all relieved. "If it were just me and her, it'd be like walking into a lion's den with a piece of steak strapped to my face."

"To be honest, I think I'd prefer that to this," Minato replied, eyeing the vicinity for anyone whose hunger for trouble was insatiable. "At least you can try and play nice with the lion."

Junpei nodded as they followed Yukari. "Yeah." Then he looked at Minato oddly. "Wait, what? Exactly how-"

"Hey, just what d'you think you're doin' here?" a gruff voice interrupted, causing Yukari to freeze where she was, Junpei to jump with fright, and Minato to clench his fists even tighter.

About a few meters in front of them, stood the person who spoke. Burly, tall, and looking rather disheveled with a host of facial piercings and tattoos on his arms, he approached them in what appeared to be a drunken manner. As he did so, Minato noticed the other punks in the area slowly form a ring around them and cursed in his mind at how they let themselves be surrounded so easily. Instead of panicking however, he took a deep breath, let it out, and assessed the situation with a calm face.

Nine targets.

Three of them.

And out of the three of them, he knew he was the only one who would be able to pose some resistance. It wasn't that he had no faith in Yukari or Junpei's abilities (they were both great assets during exploration in Tartarus) but, this was no fight against Shadows where if something went wrong, you could always bring out that gun and everything would be fine and dandy. It was a much more delicate matter, something that could not be simply solved with arrows and katanas. Given the nature of these people, Minato knew negotiating was a lost cause as well.

_Well if you can't work things out with someone diplomatically, _Akihiko's voice echoed in his mind, _ then the only thing left is to-_

_-use your fists _Minato finished the thought, smiling as he did so. While jogging had its perks of staying fit and healthy, jogging with Akihiko had...additional perks. As soon as he had asked about how to deal with those pioneering his personal hate club (as well as other school related issues), the boxer had just looked him square in the eye, raised a fist and punched it into the palm of his other hand.

* * *

_"You're not serious are you?" Minato asked as they arrived at the finishing line of their jogging path, his eyes darting from Akihiko's fist to his stern smirk. _

_"Oh I'm dead serious," Akihiko replied. "You could negotiate all you want or be a magician with your words but there are times when that just doesn't cut it." He paused, lowered his arms and looked away for a moment. "I've learned that the hard way. Of course, only do it in the ring, where punching people you don't like is legal."_

_ Minato chuckled before tilting his head. "Hard way? What do you mean by that?"_

_"It's not something I like to go back to or talk about but, if you're taking my advice to deal with those guys, then I suppose you should know where I'm coming from," Akihiko said slowly. He inhaled, let out a breath, and continued, "You know how all those girls that keep hounding me think I'm some boxing prodigy? Well they're wrong. I took it up only because I wasn't strong enough to protect my sister, Miki. Me, her and another friend, Shinjiro, we lived in an orphanage for most of our childhood. It wasn't the greatest place to live – the building and neighborhood were quite old – but back then, it was like a paradise. _

_"Anyway, things were going well until one night. I was wandering around the building since I couldn't sleep and heard a window being broken. I rushed over to the kitchen, where the sound was, to find someone that I soon learned was a thief and arsonist. Since I'd caught him stealing, he offered me two choices: I either keep my mouth shut and let him go or he would burn the orphanage down. Naturally, I wasn't gonna let him just go quietly so I tried negotiating. Of course, he was having none of it and flicked his lighter on. We had a little brawl for the lighter and even though I managed to snatch it away from him, he knocked it out of my hand and sent it flying into the faulty stove."_

_"Thus the fire," Minato said. _

_ Akihiko nodded. "The explosion knocked me out so I didn't know what happened until I woke up in hospital and Shinji told me. I took it pretty hard and ever since that day, I vowed I would get stronger to ensure I could protect the people who are important to me."_

_"That must have been a really rough time," Minato said, taking a step back. "Sorry to hear about your sister." _

_"No need to apologize for anything," Akihiko replied, waving his hand. "It's all in the past now and I've learned since then. But at least you know why my advice is the way it is. So, you still keen on learning?"_

_"I don't see why not. Besides, I can't think of another way to convince them that I'm not competing with them for Mitsuru other than by giving them a good smack around. As part of my self defense of course." _

_ Akihiko grinned, widened the gap between them and raised his fists. "Glad you see it my way."_

* * *

Minato let the memory subside and as he glanced at his friends – Yukari more annoyed than scared and Junpei the complete opposite – he could only think about what a shame it was that the boxer wasn't able to observe or participate in this unavoidable battle. He could have done with some feedback.

And assistance.

Pushing his fears of being outnumbered away, he decided it would be best to just remain on the counteroffensive. There was no point in devoting effort into an all out attack when they were flanked like this. But then, what would he do about Yukari and Junpei? Once the fight was underway, he knew he could not protect them and himself at the same time. So...how?

"We're just looking into something and don't need your permission to be here," Yukari replied, holding the punks' gaze and apparently oblivious to just how dangerous the situation was.

"Hah! Tryin' to pull the tough girl act eh?" the leader said, sneering. "Well I can tell you I've had my way with even the toughest of chicks. So, if you know what's best for you, you better fuckin' leave. You and your pathetic looking boyfriends."

Yukari continued to hold his gaze. "Look, we're not bothering anyone so why don't you just go back to what you were doing?"

"H-Hey! Are you nuts? Take a look around you," Junpei whispered, placing a hand on Yukari's shoulder.

"I'm not blind you know. Come on, you're a guy. Don't be intimidated by these scum!" Yukari replied, not looking at him or the eight other figures standing around them.

The leader walked closer and glared at her. "What was that?"

"She just called us 'scum'," a guy on Minato's left said.

"You oughta learn to shut that trap of yours you little slut," the leader said. He smirked. "But since girls like you never learn, I'll just hafta teach you."

The leader suddenly pushed Yukari into one of his cronies and punched Junpei hard in the stomach. Junpei let out a grunt and collapsed, clutching his side in pain.

The leader then swiftly turned and yanked Yukari by her hair, pulling her head towards his. She let out a sharp cry and tried to lash out at him but could not for her arms and legs were held back by three other thugs. As the leader began to close the gap between her head and his, Yukari shot forward and bit him on the nose. The leader recoiled in pain and in anger, backhanded her in the face.

It went by so fast that by the time Minato realized what was happening, it had already happened. With the five remaining thugs closing in around him, he could only watch in disgust as Yukari was brutally beat up. With her stockings torn and some of the buttons on her blouse undone, he knew what the punks were going to do to her. But she would have to hold out just a little longer. He needed to eliminate these five idiots first. He focused and felt the rush of adrenaline kick into motion, blocking out Yukari's screams and multiplying his drive to fight. Before it could take off though, an unfamiliar voice pierced through the noise.

"That's enough!"

All eyes turned to the source of the voice. From the gaps between the thugs surrounding him, Minato could see a tall figure walking towards them. As the figure neared, it was hard to judge whether he was here to help. The combination of his shifty eyes and his attire of a maroon pea coat, dark pants and a black beanie signaled that he was also a punk of some sort. But something about him seemed off. If he was also a punk, then why would he intervene?

"Let the girl go," he said, not raising his already menacing tone. "These guys didn't know what they were getting into. I'll make sure they leave. Alright?"

The leader turned to face him and let go of Yukari, who was still pinned down by the thugs. "You trying to stop me from having my fun or somethin'? I thought you were one of us Shinjiro."

Minato's eyes widened. _Shinjiro? The one Akihiko calls Shinji? _He had heard of Akihiko's anecdotes regarding how well Shinjiro handled himself in combat. _If that's really him then maybe we have a chance. _

"What gave you that idea? I don't remember swearing a blood oath," Shinjiro replied.

"Heh, acting like a cocky son of a bitch eh? Well then boys, let's show this asshole just what happens to traitors!" the leader snarled before hurling a fist at him.

The attack was telegraphed so blatantly that Shinjiro caught the incoming punch with ease before retaliating with his own. A loud smack reverberated off the walls of the courtyard, the blow stunning the leader. He retreated, trying to regain his focus, but Shinjiro gave him no reprieve and knocked him out with a forceful head butt.

With all the remaining thugs in shock at their fallen leader, Minato decided it was time. He whipped his hands out of his pockets and lunged at the thug nearest to him. Caught unaware, the poor fellow was out after a jab to the throat and by the time the others realized their comrade was down, Minato had struck down another.

Witnessing two more of their own fall, the thugs holding onto Yukari released her and joined with the three that escaped Minato's sudden attack. Shinjiro rushed over to join Minato, and the two sides eyed each other like a pair of cowboys in a quick draw duel.

A trickle of sweat slid down Minato's right cheek and dropped to the sticky floor as he watched for where the next attack would spawn. The breeze that occupied the courtyard earlier had dissipated, the remnants of the sun's rays were now obscured by clouds, and if not for Junpei's occasional groan and Yukari's heavy breathing, all was at a standstill.

That is, until one of the thugs could no longer hold back his rage, or patience, and charged forward with a shout, the others following him. It would have looked rather inspiring, and something out of an epic fantasy novel had they been on a great battlefield but alas, this was no battlefield but a rundown courtyard, and they were not respected warriors but useless drunkards who only cared about having a bottle in one hand, and a girl's bottom in the other.

As tempting as it was to run forward, Minato instead waited for them. Eyed their movements. Heard Shinjiro move a little to the left. Then when they were within range, he moved.

Ducking an incoming fist, he lashed out with his left hand and felt it connect into the stomach of the thug who missed. His opponent stiffened and crumpled to the ground but there was no time to judge whether he was truly out as Minato was already searching for the next attack.

_From the right? Or the left? _

Movement out of the corner of his eye made him swivel to the right and react with a punch. Which missed its target. A careless error and by the time Minato realized it was a ploy, it was already too late. He lost his center. His balance. But instead of being rewarded with a bleeding nose, he watched his attacker fall to the ground. Then another. And another. He was confused as to how the thugs were dropping like flies until he looked up to see Shinjiro standing in front of him and facing the last two punks.

"So, are we done here?" Shinjiro asked in that same low voice.

The two punks exchanged glances, unable to fathom that high school students of all people were able to fight like this. They backed away, one step at a time, before turning around and running off into a nearby alleyway.

Shinjiro scoffed as they left and looked at Minato quizzically, extending a hand as he did so. Minato took it, and trying to get over what Akihiko would say about that sloppy fighting, he walked over to the others.

"How...How did you guys take them all out?" Junpei asked as they approached, an arm around Yukari. Her hair was ruffled and she had a couple of bruises here and there but she looked fine as far as Minato could tell.

Minato glanced at Shinjiro who was avoiding his gaze. Then he turned to Junpei. "We did what needed to be done."

"Hmph. You're lucky to have trained under Aki," Shinjiro said, eyeing Minato. "But that doesn't mean you can just waltz into places like these. What the hell were you thinking? Did Aki tell you to come here?"

"Akihiko-senpai had nothing to do with this. We came here on our own to investigate that ghost story," Minato explained.

Shinjiro moved over to a nearby set of stairs and sat down. "Well, I can tell you that the story is just a rumor. Those girls who wound up in the hospital were here talkin' shit every night, about all the things they'd done to some girl named Fuuka. People are saying it's Fuuka's spirit that made them like that. I heard it's all over the net too."

"Fuuka's spirit?" Yukari repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

Her voice was a little weak from the beating she had taken but it still had that drive of determination. Minato resisted a smile. _She's a tough girl alright._

"You guys don't know?" Shinjiro said, raising an eyebrow. "This Fuuka girl might be dead. She hasn't been home in over a week. Don't you guys go to school? How do you not know this?"

Minato exchanged glances with Junpei and Yukari, who were unable to answer, and turned Shinjiro's words over in his mind _Hasn't been home in over a week? Might be dead? Her spirit? _His eyes began to widen as the epiphany hit him. That was it. Ghosts hadn't kidnapped Fuuka and terrorized her bullies. Shadows had. He was about to enlighten everyone but hesitated, knowing that speaking of such matters in front of someone like Shinjiro might not be prudent. Shinjiro would probably think they were an even weirder bunch of fools.

With everyone remaining silent, Shinjiro stood up, his eyes focused on the ground. "I get it Aki. Still trying to make up for the past," he muttered. "It's you who can't let go."

"Did you say something senpai?" Minato asked.

"Nothing," Shinjiro said, still standing with his back to them. "That's all I know. Satisfied?"

"Yes, thank you," Yukari said with a bow, gesturing for Minato and Junpei to do the same.

"Whatever. Just don't come here again."

Without another word, he rounded a corner and blended into the darkness of the alleyways.

"Man, so much for the ghost story," Junpei said as they made their way back to the dorm. He turned to Yukari. "Hey Yuka-tan, Ekoda-sensei is the homeroom teacher for 2-E right?" When she nodded, he continued, "You think we should go ask him on Monday to see if he knows anything?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Yukari replied, looking at Minato. "We'll have to go a little later since I'm busy with the Archery Club right after last class. Is that okay?"

"Yeah that's fine. I've got Student Council then anyway," Minato replied.

"Oh that's right. I forgot you joined," Junpei remarked, scratching his chin. "Didn't I tell you not to get caught up in that mess?"

Minato left his question unanswered. He hadn't been expecting to find any leads from this field trip but as Shinjiro's words once again bounced around in his mind, he now had little reason to doubt their theory of Fuuka being lost in Tartarus. Glancing at his exhausted friends, he decided it would be best to tell everyone tomorrow. Or perhaps when Yukari and Junpei looked well enough so that their senpai would not ask any questions about the bruises and damaged uniforms. He smiled at the thought of having to explain themselves to their senpai and then frowned as another thought struck him.

How were they going to find Fuuka?


	15. Culprit

A/N: Here's another chapter. For this one I decided to mix up some Social Link elements that lead into a scene from the game. If you're hoping to see some action with the Emperor and Empress Shadows, worry not, it will be happening within the next two chapters.

As always, hope you enjoy it.

* * *

If anything about joining the Student Council as Mitsuru's assistant surprised Minato, it was how quickly and easily his mindset about the job and all its responsibilities had changed. He had sworn to himself on the first day of school that he would not engage in any activities that attracted attention. Junpei had warned him to steer clear of anything at school that involved their high profile dorm mates. And yet, here he was in the Student Council meeting room, doing the things he had tried to avoid doing.

Well, he supposed that his duties of forwarding emails, compiling notes and attending meetings weren't so bad. Any sort of preparation for a real job was always welcome and he'd heard Mitsuru stress this to Akihiko enough times for the concept to be embedded in his mind. It was only when the duties began to entail the additional perk of being a makeshift psychiatrist for almost everyone in the school, that Minato began to question why he hadn't given her offer, and its consequences, some more serious thought.

Oh he had a vague idea of what would happen once word got out but, never would he have thought that enduring all the constant hounding and visits by students, some of which he hadn't even met before, would be this dreadful. They came to him in all shapes and sizes, and all different kinds of quirks, with issues that ranged from relationships to advice on future career options. It was, at first, something that occurred perhaps twice during a student council session. These initial appointments sounded legitimate and were serious enough to make him think it would help make him look better amongst the student body. He was already disliked by at least half the school so a few good deeds couldn't hurt right?

Wrong.

Not long after the first few appointments, he began to notice an increase in the frequency of these visits and before he knew it, there would be students queuing up in the hallway, all eager to share their life story. He could not quite fathom why he was sought out like this, and before the school's guidance counsellor, but it was apparently, as his clients put it, because he'd lived in other parts of Japan (information someone managed to learn off from a glance at his profile) and thus, would have a better perspective on these things. A fair assumption but when you were listening to someone's breakup story for nineteenth time, it was hard to have any perspective at all.

These students however, were less than half of the annoyance. What made him want to travel back in time and kick himself for not trying to decline Mitsuru's offer, and resist her charm, was her respective fan club: The Guardians of the Kirijo Heiress. An unusual group comprised of both nerds and jocks who wanted nothing more than to ensure Mitsuru belonged to no one else but them. Their visits were erratic and random but even so, Minato knew they were always watching him with the eyes of a hawk. Watching his behaviour and how he handled himself around the Student Council President. The fact that they had yet to do anything serious was a double edged sword; the time bomb hadn't exploded yet but it was still ticking. He didn't know which end of the spectrum he'd rather be in but, in order to make as little fuss as possible, he continued to go about his responsibilities with a cool head and tried to focus on the tasks at hand.

Which would have been easy if it weren't for the fact that his colleagues were just as crazy. Dealing with them was a battle in itself. And it all started the moment he tried to ask Fushimi Chihiro, the Treasurer, for copies of this month's financial records. The girl, who he had thought was able to communicate well given her stature, never failed to freeze up and stutter the moment he was within a couple of paces. Minato knew it was one thing to be shy but her being unable to even look at him, let alone talk to him, was an obstacle that hindered any means of working efficiently.

Frustrated, Minato had then decided to seek help from the head of the Disciplinary Committee, Odagiri Hidetoshi, whom he had assumed would be on good terms with Chihiro as she did not seem to shudder anywhere near as much when being addressed by him. But like a tale in which things happen conveniently because fate is fate, Minato could never find a suitable time to ask Hidetoshi, for the disciplinarian was always patrolling the school on his obsessive crusade to find out who was responsible for leaving a cigarette butt in the boys' washroom. When Minato did find the time, he was met with a cutting look that made him feel as if he were the guilty one. Reassuring Hidetoshi that he was most definitely not the culprit involved several days of enduring his interrogations as well as the questions raised by those who unofficially claimed themselves as Mitsuru's guardians. It took many minutes of swallowing retorts, suppressing the whirls of his Personas, and an intervention by Mitsuru herself to clear the misunderstanding. And where had that gotten him? Right back at square one. Go figure.

Scribbling his signature on yet another document, Minato placed it onto his completed stack related to school affairs and reached for another. The work was methodical: read, interpret, make any notes, sign and move on. But when life was already so chaotic, a little monotony was welcome. In fact, it was especially enjoyable when the documents were related to S.E.E.S. Any more information he could gather would help him understand the purpose of his real job – fighting Shadows – and more importantly, who and what was responsible for Fuuka's disappearance.

As he skimmed through the next document, one which detailed the demolishment of the courtyard in the west wing of the school, and did what needed to be done with it, he reached towards the much shorter and more interesting stack of documents. But before he could lay a hand on them, he heard the shuffle of footsteps and several voices emanating from outside the room.

Male voices.

Minato sighed and kept his eyes fixated on the papers in front of him as the door to the room slid open. He did not have to look up to know what they had come here for. There was only one reason anybody bothered to visit the Student Council headquarters at this time of the hour. He shot a quick glance at the three males approaching him and tried to suppress a groan.

_Far out, here come the Guardians of the Kirijo Heiress. _

"There you are!" the student in the middle said. He then turned to his friend on the left. "See, I told you Arisato would be here."

"Where else would I be?" Minato replied, casually lifting his gaze off his papers to inspect the new arrivals. The student who had spoken was fairly tall, and wore a pair of glasses that was obviously for the sake of fashion. His companions would have been unremarkable if it weren't for their muscular build, and looked to be the type of people who were happy to follow orders and not question why. "Now that everyone knows where I am after school, I'm surprised you three had doubts." He leaned back in his chair and frowned. Something about the spectacled student seemed familiar. "So, which one of you will be the first to waste my time?"

The middle student laughed in that smug manner Minato had experienced more times than he could count. "Oh, we're not here to bore you with our life stories. We were just wandering if you know where Kirijo-sama is."

"Why do you need to know that?" Minato asked.

"There is something important regarding- Wait, why am I elaborating? It's really none of your business. The point is, do you know where she is?"

"Well I could tell you but since you guys aren't part of the Student Council, it's really none of your business." Minato curled his lips in an amused smile as he watched the middle student try and contain his rage.

"Look Arisato," the middle student said, after composing himself and gesturing for his companions to flank Minato, "we can do this two ways. One where you stop shitting with me and cooperate or another where we beat the answer out of you. Which do you prefer?"

Minato looked at the two burly students, who were readying their fists, then turned his attention on the spectacled student. "I think I'll take the third option where you guys leave this room and I can go back to my duties. That seem fair? Besides, you guys should be able to find Mitsuru-senpai on your own. It'd be weird if you couldn't since you're always at her heels."

"D-did you just say her name?" the middle student said, his eyes widening and his scowl deepening in...anger? Jealousy? Contempt? It looked to be a combination of the three and the image made his face so crooked it reminded Minato of Hidetoshi's eternal scowl.

"Uh, I think so? Her name is Mitsuru-senpai right?" Minato replied with a blank look. As he met their stares of shock and disbelief, it occurred to him that this spectacled student was the same one who approached him on that day Mitsuru had come by his classroom.

"You should watch your mouth Arisato," the middle student snarled. "Kirijo-sama deserves the highest respect and it is only right if she is addressed as such. You of all people should know this. You... work... with her."

The student's last statement had such a bitter taste to it that for a moment, Minato felt some sympathy towards the fellow. Throwing a fit because things could not go his way. Minato decided it was probably a good time to stop the tormenting but then remembered that they were the ones who had disturbed him. Annoyed him every now and then. Hated him for something that was completely out of his control. With this in mind, Minato knew that any sort of mutual understanding or respect would be impossible.

_So there's only one thing to say._

"You're right, she does deserve the highest respect," Minato said. "But, _Mitsuru-senpai_ did give me...permission if you'd like, to call her by her first name."

"That's a lie!" the spectacled student said, eyes widening. "There's no way she would allow a _transfer student_ to do that!"

Minato shrugged. "You can think and believe whatever you want. I don't care. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you all to leave." He stood up and tried to position himself away from their pincer formation but the two burly students continued to flank him.

"Oh, don't think you're getting off so easily," the spectacled student said. He then darted forward and grabbed Minato by his collar. "We're not leaving here until we get what we want."

"Well that's too bad then."

"Heh, you really have no idea what you're getting yourself into Arisato."

"Actually, I disagree," Minato said, removing the student's hand from his collar and taking a few steps back. "I have a pretty good idea of what I'm getting into. I think you guys have no idea."

Minato watched the flustered student in front of him nod to his lackeys but before it could escalate, the door to the room slid open again and Hidetoshi strode in.

"So Arisato, have you found any new leads?" Hidetoshi asked before stopping in his tracks as he saw the spectacle before him.

Minato. And a suspicious group of boys that looked as though they were being questioned. Hidetoshi grinned and his scowl disappeared. Somewhat.

"You did a better job than I expected Arisato," Hidetoshi said. I'll take it from here." Before anyone could object, he pointed at the three students and commanded, "You three, in my office, NOW!"

"Wait a sec–" the spectacled student began.

"No waiting! To my interrogation room immediately! I know one of you left that cigarette butt in the bathroom so don't even think about trying to lie to me!"

Minato smirked as he watched the nuisances leave with the disciplinarian. If there was one mutual agreement among the whole of Gekkoukan, it was that nobody spoke back to Hidetoshi. Doing so would be asking for your death sentence. Even if half the school knew he was not much of a brawler.

_A Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card courtesy of Odagiri Hidetoshi_ Minato thought._ Never thought I'd see that happen. _

Minato turned back to his papers but looked at the door for he felt a stare. It was the student with the glasses.

"What now?" he asked.

"You got lucky this time," he hissed. "But next time, we'll settle this the old fashioned way. In the ring. Nobody ever says Kirijo-sama's first name. Ever." He then grunted as, Minato presumed, Hidetoshi yanked his arm and dragged him towards the interrogation office.

A fight in the ring? With him? Minato could already see the fight being one sided but he had a hunch that the fight would not be fair at all. It would, he thought, likely include the student's companions as they looked they were members of Gekkoukan's boxing club, with their muscular build and heavy fists. He sighed, before realising Akihiko probably knew them. And their weaknesses. Another smile splashed onto his face but as soon as he heard more footsteps approaching the room, that smile quickly evaporated.

_Can I ever catch a break?_

He returned to his seat and picked up a document to read, hoping that whoever was coming would just be one of those who stared at him from afar. He had already endured enough nonsense for one day and his level of tolerance was rapidly declining. But when he heard the clicks and clacks of heels on the tiled floor, his temper cooled down. By quite a fair margin. He adjusted his uniform, ensuring that all signs pointing towards the beginning of a scuffle were erased, and watched as Mitsuru entered the room.

With another girl Minato did not recognise.

The girl's tan complexion and long, dark orange hair contrasted Mitsuru's pale complexion and red hair, and if it weren't for the fact that she looked as if she just committed a major crime, Minato would have thought the girl decent looking.

"Arisato," Mitsuru greeted.

"Mitsuru-senpai," Minato said in return, disappointed that her usual smile was replaced with a serious look. He supposed it had something to do with the unfamiliar face and gestured at the other girl. "Who is this?"

"This is Moriyama Natsuki," Mitsuru replied, looking at the girl who seemed to be muttering to herself. "She's in the same class as Yamagishi and has confessed to be one of the girls behind the bullying." Mitsuru then looked at him. "Are you available now? I'm going to sort this out with Ekoda-sensei and would like you to come along."

Minato nodded. "Sure. I was just about to finish up here anyway."

"_Tres bien._ In that case, let's go."

Mitsuru led Natsuki out of the room and Minato followed them. The corridors of the school were almost empty now, given that the final classes of the day had ended a little over an hour ago. There were still a few students roaming around but luckily, none of them paid any attention to him as he walked and talked with Mitsuru.

"So how did you know it was her?" Minato asked.

"Well, after Iori told his ghost story," Mitsuru replied, "Akihiko and I decided to look into the origins of the rumour. After questioning some students who posted that message on the board, we eventually learned that all this nonsense about ghosts and whatnot was a cover up by Natsuki. She thought it would be an appropriate ploy to mislead people with all the supernatural happenings but, as you can see, it appears she is also a victim."

Mitsuru gestured for him to inspect Natsuki and, turning his head, Minato could see she was still shaking and mumbling incomprehensible words.

"She looks to me like one of the Lost," Minato said as they descended the flight of stairs leading to a hallway on the first floor. He looked back to Mitsuru who was not surprised. "Do you maybe think the Shadows have affected her in any way?"

"It's possible. But until we hear her testify what exactly she was doing to Yamagishi, we can't be certain."

Minato nodded, considering whether now was the right time to explain where Fuuka really was. Before he could make a decision however, a door to his right opened and out stepped that same student who assaulted him earlier. The student opened his mouth to speak as he watched them walk past but the door shut in his face and Minato could hear Hidetoshi yelling that the interrogation was not over.

"I wonder what's gotten Odagiri so agitated," Mitsuru commented as they passed the interrogation office. "I've never heard him shout like that before."

"Oh I just found him some suspects who may have left that cigarette butt in the boys' bathroom," Minato said, stifling the grin that so badly wanted to form on his face.

"Is that so?" Mitsuru said, smiling at Minato's oddly jovial tone. When Minato nodded, she continued, "Well good work. The sooner we can clear that up the better. He's been obsessed with that issue for so long now that I'm starting to wonder if he's been keeping up with his other duties."

Unable to bear the twitching of his cheek muscles, Minato let the grin break out. He could feel her eyes on him, and knew she was confused as to what could be so amusing but it was impossible to not at least smile at those students' misfortune. _If only she really knew the truth of it all. _

Once they arrived (Minato with his composure regained) and entered the staff room, they found Ekoda-sensei, the homeroom teacher of Class 2-E, at his desk eating a cup of instant noodles. He had a typical Japanese look about him, wore a typical gray business suit with a style similar to that of Ikutsuki, and looked up at the new arrivals with slight suspicion.

"Mitsuru?" Ekoda said. "Natsuki? And, I'm terribly sorry but, who are you again?"

Minato opened his mouth to reply but at that moment, his homeroom teacher, Toriumi-sensei, spoke up. She had short light brown hair in a style that mimicked Yukari's, dark grey eyes and wore cream colored business attire.

"That's Arisato Minato," she answered, packing her belongings into her handbag. "Honestly Ekoda, I'm surprised you still don't recognize him. He scored the highest on the midterm exams that were held a few weeks ago."

"Is that so? Well forgive me for not knowing. I've seen so many students come and go it's hard to remember each and every face," Ekoda replied sourly.

Toriumi stood up, scoffed at him, and left the room, greeting Yukari and Junpei who entered in her wake.

"Hey there you are," Yukari said as she and Junpei approached Minato. "You know, we thought you'd be a lot easier to find since you said you'd be in the Student Council room."

"Yeah dude, we were supposed to meet up," Junpei added.

Minato shrugged. "Mitsuru-senpai had the same idea. One thing led to another and here we are."

Mitsuru inclined her head in greeting at Yukari and Junpei, and Minato noticed Yukari's expression darken before shifting to one of realization as the brunette studied Natsuki.

"Well how about that," Ekoda said. "Everyone wants to see me today."

"Enough pleasantries Ekoda-sensei," Mitsuru said, folding her arms. "We're here to ask you about a student named Yamagishi Fuuka."

The moment she finished speaking, Natsuki placed her hands on her face. "No! I-I never thought it'd turn out like this. Fuuka..."

"What did you do to Yamagishi?" Mitsuru asked. Her sharp tone reminded Minato once again of Hidetoshi.

_I wonder if he's finished interrogating those suckers_.

"Hold on Mitsuru. This isn't an interrogation," Ekoda interrupted. He turned to Natsuki. "Natsuki, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. You wouldn't want to give her the wrong idea."

"N-No it's f-fine. I'll e-explain," Natsuki said. She took a deep breath. "Fuuka she...she always looked so frazzled whenever I gave her a hard time. Then I realized that deep inside, she's the same as us. I knew exactly which buttons to push. So on the twenty-ninth of May, we took Fuuka to the gym and...and locked the door from the outside."

Yukari gasped. Junpei opened his mouth but no words came out. Minato studied Natsuki and glanced at Mitsuru, who gestured for Natsuki to continue.

"That night," Natsuki continued, "Maki, one of my friends, returned to school alone. She was afraid we'd get in trouble if Fuuka committed suicide. But Maki, she...she never came back and..."

"And she was found lying on the ground by the gate," Yukari finished for her.

Natsuki nodded. "I went to the gym to let Fuuka out but when we went inside, she wasn't there. We all freaked out. So starting that night, we all went looking for her and decided to spread rumors about ghosts and stuff so that we wouldn't be caught for making Fuuka disappear. But every night, another one of us went missing...and they each ended up like Maki! "

She stopped speaking as tears began to trickle from her eyes.

"I see," Mitsuru said, before turning to Ekoda. "By the way Ekoda-sensei, all this time you've attributed Yamagishi's absences to 'illness'. But in reality, she was missing. You must have been aware of that so what was your intention?"

Ekoda swallowed hard. "I-I was thinking of the students of course. You children may not understand but we have to consider the future of everyone affected."

"You mean, you chose not to report this to the police for the 'good of the class?'" Mitsuru replied, narrowing her eyes.

"It-it was in her best interest. I wouldn't want her records to be stained by something like this. Her parents agree!"

"So to protect your career, you ignored your responsibility as a teacher? How despicable!"

Minato watched as Ekoda, a teacher who thought his ego bigger than his pay check would allow, cowered and stuttered in front of Mitsuru. He was once again impressed.

"I-I didn't. I was just-," Ekoda started before he quickly grabbed his belongings and exited the room.

"Whoa. Mitsuru-senpai. That was awesome," Junpei said, nudging Yukari. "Don't ya think so too Yuka-tan?"

Yukari scoffed and ignored him.

Mitsuru also ignored him and placed a hand on Natsuki's shoulder. "About your friends Moriyama, did you notice anything unusual before the incidents? Anything at all?"

"They...They all heard a voice," Natsuki replied. "A creepy voice, right before each of them went missing. They said it was calling their name." And she buried her face back in her hands.

Mitsuru looked up at the others and moved towards them.

"It's them isn't it?" Minato said quietly.

"I'm afraid so," Mitsuru said, nodding. "I wasn't sure of how or why some people, not Persona-users, are conscious during the Dark Hour. But, now I know it's not a random phenomenon. It's their voice. It hypnotizes people and draws them in." She turned to Natsuki. "Stay at our dorm tonight. It's the safest place. And don't leave no matter what. If you can do that much you should be okay."

Natsuki nodded.

Mitsuru turned her attention back to the others. "As soon as you get back, wait in the command room. We're going to discuss tonight's operation."


	16. Infiltration

A/N: So here's the beginning of the operation. I didn't want to change what happened too much but I have used the girls' perspective and put in a few...extras if you'd like to hopefully keep it fresh. Next update will likely be after Christmas so Happy Holidays and hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Infiltrating the school at night was something Mitsuru did not think to be as easy as Junpei had made out. She had thought of so many different approaches (most of them were very elaborate) that she had skimmed over the simple task of leaving a door unlocked. Well, she supposed it wasn't that simple. One had to make sure that the door was in a convenient and easily accessible location, somewhere in which the school's security guards would not even think twice to check.

She guessed it was only natural that she hadn't thought, in this case, within the box for she was the Student Council President. From her upbringing, breaking rules was forbidden unless the situation called for otherwise. And now that she did break them, Mitsuru felt a little guilty. The leader of the student body, gallivanting around the school after hours with her posse of S.E.E.S. members? It was totally unacceptable and the very thought made her want to call off the operation. She was glad the lights were off. It prevented the others from seeing how uncomfortable she was.

She now wondered if this plan really was the best way to rescue Fuuka. Akihiko's proposal of entering Tartarus the same way Fuuka did by waiting in the gym till the Dark Hour struck was logical but risky. They had not entered Tartarus in this manner before and with the daily change in the floor's structure, there was no way of knowing where they would end up, let alone end up where Fuuka would be. It was a huge gamble. But considering that every minute passed was one more Fuuka spent in peril, there was no other choice. They could not just leave her there. And Akihiko had already made it clear that he would not idly stand by; everyone else agreeing with him.

It was a gamble they had to take.

They continued to walk through the hallways in silence, fearing that any unnecessary noise made might attract the attention of the patrolling security guards. The school's interior at night presented an eerie vibe, with the sound of their recurring footsteps echoing in the warm silence. The hallways with no windows were the most daunting to walk through and it felt as though they were exploring a haunted house. Without flashlights.

After passing through another hallway, Mitsuru stopped in front of the Student Council headquarters and sliding the door open, she stepped in, the others following suit.

"Can we turn on the lights?" Yukari asked as Mitsuru slid the door shut.

"Aww, you afraid of the dark Yuka-tan?" Junpei said.

"What? No! Stupei."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Quiet you two," Akihiko said, his sharp tone silencing them. "It's better if we leave them off. They cut the power at night anyway." He then turned to Mitsuru. "Alright, so what's the plan?"

"First, we have to find the key to the gym," Mitsuru replied. "You and I will check the janitor's room. Arisato, take Takeba and Iori with you to the Faculty Office. After that, we'll meet in the foyer downstairs. Understand?"

Both Minato and Yukari nodded in response but Mitsuru noticed Junpei and Akihiko trade glances. _What are they planning now?_

"The Faculty Office?" Junpei said, grinning. "Hey, maybe we'll find some test questions. Then I'll never have to be the laughing stock of the class again."

"Maybe I should go there too," Akihiko said. "Sounds interesting."

Mitsuru suppressed a sigh. She had a feeling that one of them, Junpei in particular, would attempt to try something. The fact that Akihiko of all people also wanted to caught her by surprise. Out of all the years she had known him, she did not think that he would be the type to cheat.

"Are you planning something unscrupulous under my supervision?" Mitsuru asked with a glare that could level a mountain. "If so, then expect to be severely punished."

"It-It was a joke," Junpei said, waving his hands. "I'd never do something like that." He chuckled nervously.

"Come on Mitsuru, lighten up a little," Akihiko said.

Mitsuru took a few moments to consider her decision, glancing at Akihiko before letting her eyes rest on Junpei. _I know that one will try something. I had better keep a watch on him. _

"Fine. But Iori, you're coming with us," Mitsuru said. Ignoring Junpei's protests, she turned to Minato and Yukari. "I can trust that you two won't do anything foolish, right?"

_He wouldn't do such a thing. I know he won't._

Minato nodded and smiled. Although it was dark, she could see it was not a smirk. It was a genuine smile, one that reminded her of when he was younger. When he still remembered who she was. Could it be that–

"Don't worry Mitsuru-senpai," Minato assured. "Finding the key will be our priority."

"Excellent," she replied, a mixed feeling of relief and disappointment overcoming her. He wouldn't remember. Not after what had happened ten years ago. "Now you two, come with me."

Exiting the room, Mitsuru led Junpei and Akihiko up a flight of stairs. As soon as they reached the next floor, there was a flash of light and she immediately pulled back. Her sudden halt startled Junpei and he almost tripped down the stairs. Akihiko caught him just in time, before pushing past them to take a peek around the corner.

"The guard's turned around," he whispered after a few moments, hearing the footsteps fade into the far end of the floor.

Nodding, Mitsuru took the lead once again, taking slow steps to ensure that her heeled boots did not click and clack loudly on the floor. Being so accustomed to heeled footwear (something that her family's stylist recommended for her to wear all the time because of how attractive she looked in them), but more because her attention was focused on finding Fuuka and worrying about the risks of entering Tartarus this way, Mitsuru had forgotten to change into the standard school loafers. She sighed as they continued forward, flinching every time her heels made the sharp noise, and was relieved when they finally reached their destination.

"Say, isn't the Faculty Office larger than the Janitor's room?" Junpei asked, still keeping a watch on their surroundings.

"What's your point Iori?" Mitsuru replied. "Don't tell me that's supposed to be an excuse–"

"It's not. I'm just sayin' since the Faculty Office is larger, shouldn't we have had more people search there instead of here?"

"No. And here's why."

Mitsuru opened the door to the janitor's room and Junpei's jaw dropped.

* * *

Yukari followed Minato in the darkness.

They had left the room shortly after Mitsuru and the others did, turning right instead of left and heading downstairs instead of up. Needless to say, sneaking around made her uncomfortable. It wasn't that she was afraid of the dark, like that idiot Junpei had presumed. No, she was much more mature than that. But with only her eyes and Minato leading the way, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Gekkoukan High School was not by any means a small place and even though she knew the school's layout like the back of her hand, wandering around at night was completely different. And completely wrong.

As she continued to follow Minato, whom somehow knew the route to any room albeit only having attended Gekkoukan for less than two months, she wondered how he always kept a calm head. Yukari was no stranger to seeing calm people but Minato was an exception. From the way he had acted when held at gunpoint on the day of his arrival, to the way he fought back the toughest Shadows in Tartarus and stopped the monorail with relative ease, to casually strolling around the school right now. It was as if nothing fazed him.

_Perhaps it has something to do with him hanging out with Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai_.

She had noticed over the last few weeks that Minato had been spending a considerable amount of time with both of them (outside of Student Council, Akihiko's daily jogging sessions and their visits to Tartarus), always talking in quiet tones and quickly changing the subject whenever she or Junpei got too near. Was it possible that he knew something? About the Shadows? About the Kirijo Group? It seemed likely enough and she did get the feeling that Minato was hiding something ever since she had questioned him in the hospital. No. Not a feeling. She was certain of it. Why else would he refuse to share his knowledge with anyone but their senpai?

She shook the thoughts aside, telling herself that her suspicions would only slow down their task of finding Fuuka, and stopped in her tracks when Minato stopped. Looking around, she noticed they were in the lobby, which was a much welcome sight after the claustrophobic hallways. The moon's glow glimmered through the front door windows, creating a sea of light that covered the shoe racks and reached up to the receptionist desk. Yukari was relieved that she could finally pinpoint where they were but why had they stopped moving? Leaning closer to whisper, she was about to ask just that when she heard it.

Footsteps.

Which were growing louder.

Her muscles tensed and she held her breath as Minato suddenly seized her arm and pulled her back towards the stairwell. She clasped a hand over her mouth to prevent a squeal of surprise as they retreated to a position on the stairs that enabled a view of the lobby without being seen. And sure enough, the flashlight beam she was expecting cut through the night a few seconds later, its' owner emerging from the hallway to the left.

They watched in silence as the security guard flashed his torch around the lobby several times before deciding to throw in the towel. It was hard to tell from this distance but Yukari swore she saw a look of disappointment on the guard's face, as if he was expecting to find something or someone to be lurking around. Yukari sighed at just how close he was to finding them, before a look of disappointment crossed her face.

The guard had moved out of the lobby but unfortunately, he had not gone back the way he came from. Instead, he continued forward into the hallway on Yukari's right. Which, of course, was the direction they needed to go.

"Great," she whispered. "Now how are we gonna get to the office?"

"We'll follow him," Minato replied, still in that calm voice. "He's already searched the lobby so there's no reason for him to come back. Unless you'd rather distract him or have another plan up your sleeve."

Yukari shook her head. "In that case, lead the way."

They descended the stairs and entered the lobby once again. As they passed the reception desk and progressed through the hallway that contained the Faculty Office, a sudden chime ripped the silence apart. Yukari squealed as she saw the figure with the flashlight up ahead stop walking and her heart sank.

_Oh no! Quick, find somewhere to hide! _

Without giving Minato any warning, she darted into the first open doorway she laid her eyes on. The girls' washroom. It was not the best of hiding spots but she supposed it would have to do. Minato followed suit shortly after and Yukari saw the blinding light of the guard's torch shine the area they were standing in seconds before.

"Wh-Who's there?" the guard called.

Yukari's heart thumped in her chest even faster as she heard the footsteps approach even closer and she put a hand over her mouth when the guard shone his torch into the open doorway of the girls' washroom. She just wanted to scream. She really did. And she was about to until her eyes rested on Minato, who was standing opposite her and behind a wall. He raised a finger to his lips and mouthed what looked to be the words _'Just wait a little longer'_. It seemed as though he was ready to take action should the guard try to do something but soon enough, the ray of light retreated.

Yukari took a peek and saw that the guard was making his way back to the foyer yawning and mumbling about how this job could freak the hell out of him. She supposed it was natural. Hearing a squeal in an empty corridor during the middle of the night would freak her out too.

Once they felt that the guard was out of earshot, Yukari reached into her skirt pocket to see her cell phone blinking. She flipped it on and sighed.

"Of course it's spam," she said, deleting the email and seeing Minato approach her. "I'm so sorry about that. It took me by surprise." She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves, and when Minato attempted to speak, her reflexes kicked in and the words tumbled out of her mouth. "Don't even think about saying I got scared!"

"I wasn't going to," Minato said.

"Sorry. I thought you were Stupei for a second," Yukari whispered, already imagining the needling she would receive if Junpei was here.

"What made you think that?"

"I don't know. Come on, let's find that key. We've wasted enough time already."

* * *

"How did you– You know what? Never mind. I'm not even gonna ask," Junpei said as he entered the janitor's room.

Beside all the shelves filled with bottled chemicals and soaps, a vacuum cleaner that rested near a wall and a yellow sign saying _'Caution! Wet floor'_, were their weapons; three sheathed blades sleeping in their stands, a bow and quiver of arrows leaning beneath another shelf that housed a pair of gauntlets. It was a bizarre sight to see their weapons in a room such as this and Mitsuru couldn't help but be amused by Junpei's reaction.

"So lemme get this straight," Junpei said as Akihiko handed him his katana, "you're sayin' the key isn't here?

Strapping her rapier to her belt, Mitsuru shook her head. "I just needed some assistance to carry all these. Since you were so keen on finding test papers, I had thought it better you help Akihiko and I."

"C'mon, I was only kidding," Junpei said. When Mitsuru raised her eyebrow, he groaned. "Man, you're really not buyin' it huh?"

"Don't try to push her Junpei," Akihiko said, equipping his gauntlets. "Unless of course you want to be next in line for her 'execution'. Like Ekoda-sensei."

Mitsuru stifled a smile as Junpei gulped. She had seen the look of admiration on Junpei's face earlier this afternoon when she had told off Ekoda for attributing Fuuka's absence as illness. And while that was fine, Akihiko knew just as well as she did that Junpei would not want to witness the punishment Ekoda was going to receive. Or his own if he really did find those test papers he was so eager to see.

Closing the door to the room, they quietly (as quiet as Mitsuru's boots would allow) retraced their steps. They made their way down the corridor and back down the stairs when a high-pitched scream caused them to freeze. It was not muffled and its clarity indicated it had emanated from somewhere downstairs. As Akihiko gestured for them to back up against the staircase wall, doubts began to cloud Mitsuru's mind. The Dark Hour hadn't arrived yet which meant that no Shadow could have ambushed Minato and Yukari. So that left the possibility of them being caught by a security guard.

_No, they can't be that careless_, Mitsuru thought.

They waited a few moments, frozen like statues in a museum, trying to hear the shuffling of footsteps or shouts from the guards. But there was neither. Mitsuru shot a look at Akihiko, who nodded, and the three of them descended down the stairs leading to the foyer.

Upon their arrival, they noticed two figures emerge from the right hallway. Minato and Yukari.

"Are you two alright?" Mitsuru asked as they regrouped. "We heard a scream and thought you were seen."

"We-We're fine," Yukari replied. She was obviously flustered.

"Ya know, the scream sounded kinda familiar," Junpei said.

Yukari looked at the floor, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"I knew it was you," Junpei continued.

"You wanna make something of it?" Yukari snapped as she spun to face him.

Mitsuru strode through the gap between them and approached Minato. "Did you find the key?"

"Sure did," he said, reaching into his blazer pocket to show her. Mitsuru gave him a proud look and handed him his saber. "By the way, how did you get these in here?" He gestured to the weapons and saw Junpei shake his head.

"Well, there are some things in life you are better off not knowing. This is one of them," Mitsuru said. She turned to address everyone. "Now, we'll divide into teams again. Three of you will wait at the gym and enter Tartarus while one of you will remain here with me. Once the Dark Hour has begun, I'll determine Yamagishi's position."

"I'm going," Akihiko said. "Arisato should come as well. He can take the lead, like always."

Minato nodded and walked over to stand beside Akihiko.

"Okay, I guess I'll be the third–" Yukari started.

"Hey wait a second!" Junpei blurted. "Remember how I accidentally screwed up on the monorail? Gimme a chance to make up for that."

Yukari groaned. "Oh, come on! It's not always about YOU! Besides, you didn't accidentally screw up."

"It's decided then," Mitsuru said, her voice cutting through theirs. Time was running short and she would not waste any more time with their antics. "Iori, you'll go with Akihiko and Arisato."

"Alright," Junpei said, beaming. "I promise I'll make up for last time."

Once the boys disappeared down the corridor leading to the gym, Mitsuru checked her cell phone. There were ten more minutes till the Dark Hour struck. Taking her Evoker out of its holster, she glanced at Yukari. The girl had been unusually quiet since the boys' departure and was keeping her distance like she always did when they were alone together. This behavior of hers was not something Mitsuru paid close attention to but as they waited in silence, it was clear that something was wrong.

_Have I done something to offend her?_ Thinking back to all the times they had interacted, Mitsuru knew that she had been nothing but polite and diplomatic. _So why is she eyeing me like that?_

Her thoughts lingered as midnight struck and she braced herself. Perhaps it was a better idea to wait outside and watch the transformation instead of being in the eye of the storm but Mitsuru knew that there was valuable information about the tower's layout to be learnt. Even if there was no telling that something might happen. Akihiko and the others were already risking it so it was only fair that she did the same.

Surprisingly, the shift was more fluid than she had anticipated. The space around her seamlessly rippled into the twisted dimensions she knew all too well, with the school's pillars transforming into Tartarus' and the staircase at the far end of the lobby dissolving into the familiar steep staircase leading to the golden clock.

"Intriguing," Mitsuru mused aloud.

"What is?" Yukari asked.

"The fact that the change is more subtle here than it is outside. Perhaps it has something to do with the composition of the air. Hmm..."

Seeing Yukari give her a sidelong glance, Mitsuru rested her Evoker to the side of her head and summoned her Persona, who materialized in a bright blue gleam and stood at her side.

"You think you can track them?" Yukari asked. She sounded doubtful.

"I'll do what I can," Mitsuru replied. She concentrated and closed her eyes, initiating the link between herself and her Persona. The world transformed into an assortment of colors as their minds became one, and her senses multiplied. The sensation was exhilarating and she could now see and hear everything within a five kilometre radius.

_Now, where are they?_

"Can anyone hear me?" Mitsuru voiced telepathically.

"_Mitsuru? This is Akihiko. I hear you fine_," he replied.

"I've confirmed your position. You're higher up than I expected and barely in communication range. Is everyone alright?"

There was a crackle, and her connection to Akihiko wavered. "_...don't know...got separ..._"

"Akihiko? Come in, Akihiko!" Mitsuru said before the link dissipated. She winced as her mind separated from Penthesilea and the power winked out.

"Is he out of range?" Yukari asked, a worried look on her face.

"Either that, or something is jamming my Persona," Mitsuru replied, holstering her Evoker. "It appears that we'll just have to wait for..."

Mitsuru trailed off as she noticed Yukari's face paling. She was about to ask what was wrong when she felt the lobby darken. That wasn't right. The lighting of Tartarus was always the same.

_Unless..._

Mitsuru turned and cried out as she was swept off her feet and seized by a gigantic hand.

That belonged to a Shadow.


	17. Lucia

A/N: Here's the long awaited battle with the Empress and Emperor full moon Shadows and also my final update for 2014. Even though this fic is no where near finished, I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading and following this story, and special thanks to those who took the time to review. Your comments and thoughts are greatly appreciated.

I know the last few chapters probably haven't been as interesting since there hasn't been much shipping going on, and the buildup of Fuuka's arc might be too familiar, but I assure you the coming chapters will have extra content not seen in the game.

For a sneak peek of what to expect, I will mention that following an interlude of 2 chapters, which will formally introduce several important characters, will be the infamous Shirakawa Boulevard sequence. Since this is after all, a Minato &amp; Mitsuru story, I will be changing what happens in that hotel to suit the shipping. I won't say anymore till the chapter is posted here but I hope you all look forward to what I have in store.

Once again, hope you enjoy this chapter and Happy New Year!

* * *

Junpei parried the strike of another Shadow and pushed it back. Dazed, the Shadow could not react and was soon crushed to nothing as Akihiko's fists rammed it from behind. More blood sprayed everywhere, painting the stonewalls a deep black. They took up defensive positions again, surveying the area. Fortunately, there were no signs of any more Shadows.

"Well as fun as that was, I don't think we should enter Tartarus this way again," Akihiko said.

Wiping the muck off his katana, Junpei nodded. Their assumption of being taken to a random floor in Tartarus by waiting in the gym was correct. But they were not expecting to be separated from Minato.

Or to be hurled right in the middle of a group of Shadows.

It was hard to tell which party was being ambushed but either way, Junpei and Akihiko had settled the skirmish relatively unscathed. Junpei thought he had done a good job in taking out three Shadows but after seeing Akihiko fight, he was not so proud of those three kills. The boxer had darted from one Shadow to another (Junpei had never seen a person move so fast), obliterating the group in a matter of seconds.

_Well, he's called the Gekkoukan Boxing Champ for a reason. _

Even though Junpei knew that Akihiko had a rigorous training schedule and had been at this job for a long time, a part of him was green. It was the same with Minato. The sense of inferiority had been tugging at him with every visit to Tartarus and it only grew stronger. Watching them fight so effortlessly, Junpei had no idea why he was comparing himself to them. Both had extensive combat experience while he had next to none.

He sighed, shaking off the thought. He would prove to them that he was not dead weight. But first...

"How are we going to find Fuuka?" Junpei asked, following Akihiko down a corridor. "Or Minato."

"I'm not sure," Akihiko replied with a grimace. "And now that I've lost contact with Mitsuru, we're going to be wandering around here blind. Something must be jamming Penthesilea."

"Penthewhat?"

"Mitsuru's Persona. The disturbance must be huge for her Persona to be ineffective."

He stopped and looking up, Junpei noticed they had run into a dead end.

"Man, our luck's really bad today," Junpei said. Akihiko didn't respond. "Something wrong?"

The boxer stood aside and showed him the green spherical device that was wedged into the wall. Walking closer to inspect it, Junpei could see a small image. It was fuzzy but he could make out the figures of Yukari and Mitsuru.

And, to his despair, two larger figures.

"We gotta go help them!" Junpei said.

"And leave both Yamagishi and Arisato trapped in here?" Akihiko growled. "I'm not going to be the one responsible for letting yet another person die!"

"They'll be fine. Knowing _his_ luck, he probably found her and is already heading back."

Akihiko looked away from Junpei's gaze and frowned.

"I don't like it but, alright," Akihiko finally said.

Junpei closed his fist around the image and a glow enveloped them. As they teleported, he couldn't help but grin at the thought of his heroic entrance. At the thought of his Persona taking on the Shadows and winning after a dramatic fight. At the thought of what Yukari and Mitsuru would think of him and say to him once it was over. He would be the one to save them this time. Well, Akihiko too but, Junpei would ensure that it was mostly him. His heart thumped in excitement and when they arrived at the lobby, he readied his Evoker.

Then he squeezed the trigger.

And smiled.

Because, there was no damsel in distress that could resist being rescued.

* * *

"Are you awake?"

A pair of large blue eyes stared into his own and Minato sat up with a start. It was the boy again. And still dressed in his striped pyjamas. _Will he ever change out of those?_ Standing up, he looked around and noticed that apart from the boy whom he knew would disappear soon, he was alone.

"Where are the others?" Minato demanded. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted asking. The boy would just answer his question by not answering his question.

"Really, you should work on your manners. You're always so kind to _her_..." the boy replied. "Anyway, you shouldn't worry about your friends. You'll be seeing them soon." A cheeky smiled flash across his face. Minato didn't like that look. "You know, this is the first time we've spoken outside your room."

"Is that supposed to mean anything?"

"No, I was just making an observation."

Minato suppressed a sigh. Talking with this kid never ceased to infuriate him. And he did not know why either. "Why are you here?"

"I told you remember? I'm always with you," the boy said, chuckling. He then turned serious. "But we don't have much time to talk. Tonight, there is more than one ordeal you must face. You should hurry. She's waiting for you."

"She? You mean Fuuka?"

The boy smiled. "Perhaps."

He vanished.

Minato frowned. What could the boy have possibly meant? Wasn't Fuuka the only girl who needed rescuing?

_Maybe it's just another one of his riddle answers as usual. _

Telling himself that was most likely the case, he hurried through the nearby corridor in search of Fuuka. This particular block of Tartarus was unlike the one they had previously explored, with a sinister purple haze taking the place of the murky green glow that filled the lower floors, and walls looking to be comprised of ancient stonework that dated back to the middle ages. Every now and then, there would be the occasional metallic sculpture of a face carved into the wall. The face itself wasn't frightening; what made it so was that every face he passed was identical.

Arriving at another clearing, Minato stopped. He heard a voice. A feminine voice.

"Is someone there? Please answer me..."

_That has to be her._ Minato stormed across the junction and into the next hallway, all the while keeping an ear out for her voice. Reaching a clearing where the voice seemed to be the loudest, he looked around. He swore it was emanating from here. So where was she?

"Who are you? Are you human?"

Minato pivoted and saw a short young girl with teal green hair slowly edge out from behind a corner. While she was dressed in the girls' uniform of Gekkoukan, she wore a flower patterned turtleneck coloured the same as her hair instead of the usual red ribbon on the collar, and white stockings instead of knee-length black socks. She eyed him, looking to flee at any moment.

"Are you Yamagishi Fuuka?" Minato asked, sheathing his sabre.

The girl nodded and approached. "Where are we? I was at school, and then..."

"It's a long story. I'll explain to you once we get out of here," Minato replied. Quickly introducing himself, he added, "By the way, are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I'm alright," Fuuka said. "I've managed to avoid those strange creatures in here."

"Really? How?" he asked, his eyes widening a little. Sneaking past Shadows was already difficult enough (trying to preemptively attack them was even harder) but being able to avoid contact with them completely for that long? _Her Persona must have an ability like Mitsuru-senpai's._

"Umm, it's hard to describe but, I can sort of tell where they are."

"So, like a radar?"

"Yeah, something like– Behind you!"

He seized his Evoker the moment she shouted and pulled the trigger. The snake-like Shadow that had crept up on them melted in a blaze, its remains sizzling with smoke. Seeing there were no more hostiles, Minato dismissed Orpheus and turned to Fuuka. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Believe me, everything will make sense once we leave," he said. When Fuuka nodded, he continued, "Now, do you think you could use your...power...to find the location of a spherical device? It should be somewhere on this floor."

Fuuka closed her eyes and after a few moments, she opened them again. "It's this way."

Minato followed her down the corridor on his right and after a couple of turns, they arrived at a dead end that housed the device. He walked towards it but felt Fuuka stop in her tracks.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, looking at her.

Fuuka held her head in her hands. "What is this thing? It's much bigger than the others. And it's attacking someone."

_Thing? Bigger than the others?_

Minato rushed over to the device and an image of Tartarus' lobby was displayed. From it, he could make out several figures that had to be his friends struggling against two much larger figures. The boy had warned him tonight was one of_ those_ nights and once again, his prediction was correct.

_Two Shadows eh? This should be interesting._

"I'm going down there to help my friends," Minato said. "Make sure you stay a safe distance away from those...creatures."

"O-Okay," Fuuka replied.

Sheathing his saber, Minato took her hand and closed a fist in front of the image. The area around them glowed a bright green and they felt themselves being drawn into the device. As they teleported, something struck his mind. He had seen three small figures in that image. Someone was missing. The question of who baffled him until he was there in the lobby, seeing the situation with his own eyes and feeling his heart sink.

The boy's words echoed. _She's waiting for you._

* * *

Mitsuru let out a strangled gasp as the Shadow tightened its grip on her. It was strange. Her captor's arms were so long and floppy that it puzzled her how it had the strength to apply so much pressure. It certainly wasn't stupid like the regular Shadows, seeming to know a tightening of its grip was in order every time she wriggled in its grasp. She gasped again as the Shadow reapplied the pressure, feeling the pain pulsing through her body.

_I...can't...breathe..._

Weakly, Mitsuru cast her gaze down to where the fighting was taking place, wishing she hadn't been so careless. She should have realized something was off the moment her Persona could not pinpoint the boys' location. That, and she should have believed _him_ straight away. Minato was confident in his theory that each full moon would bring a much stronger Shadow and all she had done in response was to tell him more evidence was required. Well, now that the evidence was holding her in its fist, she had to admit that doubting Minato was foolish. So very foolish.

A sudden shout pulled her out of her thoughts and she could only watch in horror as Akihiko, Yukari and Junpei recoiled in pain as their Personas were hit by her captor's fat partner in crime. Mitsuru tried to cry out but the air escaped her lungs as her captor leapt forward to seize the opening its partner made. It slashed at the stunned Personas with its short sword, causing them to dissipate and their owners to crumple.

The two Shadows cackled at their near victory and using what anger she had left, Mitsuru once again tried to break free. But it was no use. The Shadow's grip was too strong and as a reward for her troubles, it gave her another squeeze. The pressure crushed the breath out of her lungs but she knew she had to hold out. Distracting the Shadows was all she could do to prevent them from killing her unconscious comrades.

Her captor then brought her closer to its face. Mitsuru mustered as much spite as she could and glared into its hollow eyes that were hidden behind a spiked purple mask. The Shadow seemed indifferent to her act of defiance and continued to inspect her with the same blank expression all Shadows had. She was glad this particular Shadow had no mouth to smirk with. It would have only made the wave of despair clawing at her that much stronger.

Her captor then called its bulbous partner over and held her in front of the other Shadow's staff. A black glow began to form on the tip of the staff and for the first time in years, Mitsuru felt absolutely helpless. She braced herself as the darkness of dread slowly seeped into her. She would not give in to her fears. She would stay strong. For S.E.E.S. For her father.

Her father. What had her father once told her? She searched her mind for his words and found them. _No matter how bleak the circumstances are, there is always a way out_ he had said. _You won't notice at first but it will be there if you look hard enough._ But where was it? Her friends were unconscious and she was trapped. There was no one available left except for–

Streaks of lightning descended and struck her captor in the head. Disoriented from the shock, Mitsuru felt the Shadow loosen its grip and after a few more strikes of lightning, the Shadow let her go. Relief washed over her as she plummeted. She was not afraid of crashing into the ground. She knew _he _had arrived and would do everything in his power to protect her. At least, that was a trait she hoped he still retained .

She felt a pair of metallic hands catch her seconds after she fell. If it weren't for the white hair, dark face and red eyes, Mitsuru would have thought she was being carried by Minato himself. The very image of him doing so made her blush and she blocked the thought out, focusing on the task at hand. Daydreams could wait.

Orpheus returned to Minato's side and set Mitsuru down. She nodded in appreciation and acknowledging, the Persona flew up to join the battle.

Mitsuru turned her gaze on Minato, who stood in front of her with his Evoker raised. She then looked at the scene before her, watching in amazement as Orpheus and two other Personas (a cute snow elf with a blue pointed hood and an armored knight on horseback) danced with the Shadows. She noticed that the Personas were more relentless this time round, working as a team and barely giving the Shadows a chance to retaliate. Through the successful hits of Orpheus' lyre and the knight's spear, both of the Shadows were pushed back and then encased in a pillar of jagged ice created by the snow elf.

With the Shadows frozen, Minato dismissed his Personas and knelt beside Mitsuru.

"Are you okay?" he asked, a trickle of sweat sliding down his cheek. He looked exhausted and judging by the way he had juggled three Personas simultaneously with so little effort, Mitsuru could only wonder how he was not unconscious.

"I'm alright," she replied as he helped her stand. "You made it just in time."

"How are the others?"

Mitsuru glanced over at Akihiko, Yukari and Junpei, who were beginning to stir, but before she could reply, she heard another voice.

"Is it safe to come out now?"

Mitsuru shifted her gaze towards the voice to see a young girl with teal green hair emerge from underneath the staircase and slowly approach them. _This must be Yamagishi. Thank goodness she's safe. _

Minato nodded and when Akihiko, Yukari and Junpei made their way over, he quickly explained how he had found Fuuka and how she was able to detect the Shadows' presence and avoid them.

"She has the same power as Mitsuru," Akihiko said once Minato finished telling his story. He turned to Mitsuru. "It's probably even stronger than yours, right?"

"Since mine is more suited for battle, then I–" she started but cut off as they heard the sound of ice cracking.

Everyone pivoted to see the two Shadows, who were supposed to be frozen, break free of their imprisonment and ready their weapons. Mitsuru grimaced and the others did the same. The fight was meant to be over. Minato's Personas had made sure of it. _So how?_

"Fuuka, stay back," Minato instructed. "If something happens to us, run as far away from this place as you can." Fuuka nodded and Minato turned to the others, who raised their Evokers. "Ready?"

The lobby of Tartarus reverberated with the summoning of Personas and the fight began again. As the Shadows were seared by tongues of flames, sliced by blades of air and zapped by bolts of lightning, Mitsuru knew just as well as the others that this time, they would win. They were coordinated. They were ready. The odds had flipped into their favor and blinded by the thrill of victory, she almost did not see it happen.

It was unnoticeable amidst the destruction laid forth by their Personas but when she saw Minato flinch, she knew something was wrong. Directing her eyes to the fighting, the Shadow that had held her managed to reflect an incoming fireball, hurling it back to Orpheus who had fired it. Orpheus fizzled before vanishing and from the corner of her eye, she saw Minato clutch his chest in pain. Then Yukari. Then Junpei. And the moment Akihiko fell to his knees, the invisible shockwave that arose from the abrupt shattering of the connection between a person and their Persona slammed into Mitsuru as Penthesilea dissipated.

The sharp, pulsing pain that coursed through her body was unlike any she had experienced before and if it hurt this much for her, she did not want to think how Minato was coping with it. She watched as he remained standing in an effort to protect her and everyone else, squeezing the trigger every time Orpheus disappeared. As valiant as the act was, Mitsuru knew there was no way he could keep it up. Not when he was already tiring from whatever Shadows he had to face alone in the upper levels of Tartarus as well as the energy spent in rescuing her from the Shadow's clutches. His resistance finally ended once the Shadow punched him, sending him across the lobby and landing beside Mitsuru, and his Evoker out of reach.

_It's over_, she thought.

Using what strength that remained in her and fighting back the despair that crept into her bones, Mitsuru moved over towards him and held him steady in her arms.

"Fuuka," Minato rasped as he sat up Mitsuru's embrace, "get out of here!"

Mitsuru glanced over at the base of the stairs and saw Fuuka, unmoving. The girl looked paralyzed and the cause of it confused Mitsuru until she turned in the direction Fuuka was looking in.

"Moriyama?!" Mitsuru gasped.

"Why the hell is SHE here?" Akihiko growled as he tried to stand.

Natsuki made her way towards them like a zombie, and Mitsuru could see that the bully was in a trance and mumbling what looked to be the word '_Fuuka_' over and over again. She continued to drag herself along, arms swaying, unaware of the fact that the two Shadows had decided to target her.

It was at that moment that Fuuka decided to run. But instead of towards the exit as Minato had instructed, she ran to Natsuki, evading the attacks of the Shadows as she did so.

"Moriyama-san!" Fuuka said, placing her hands on Natsuki who fell to her knees. "Please, get out of here. It's dangerous."

"I...I wanted to tell you...I'm sorry," Natsuki said. "I'm sorry Fuuka."

Before Fuuka could respond, she felt the towering forms of the two Shadows cast a shadow over her and she turned to see them staring at her impassively. As the taller Shadow raised its short sword, Fuuka swiped Minato's Evoker off the ground and placed herself between the Shadow and Natsuki.

"Wait! That's not a weapon!" Mitsuru shouted as Fuuka raised the Evoker to her temple.

"I know," Fuuka replied, pulling the trigger. "Come, Lucia."

The instant the Shadow's short sword came slashing down, a blond-haired woman whose eyes and throat were covered in bandages appeared. She shielded Fuuka in a large glass sphere that was her lower body, and caused the Shadow's strike to ricochet. The Shadow almost toppled backwards but it managed to regain its footing and raised its sword once more.

_ She won't survive the next hit. Her Persona isn't suited for battle. What can we do?_

Unable to move from her position, Mitsuru watched as the sword came down for a second time, ready to slice Fuuka and her Persona apart–

–when she heard the shattering sound of an Evoker being fired.

Mitsuru glanced at Minato, whom she was holding, and saw that he had taken her Evoker. She then shifted her gaze to see Orpheus parry the Shadow's strike with his lyre, before pushing the Shadow back and kicking its chest.

"I'm not out of this yet," Minato said, returning the Evoker into Mitsuru's hands and wincing a little as she helped him to stand. He then recoiled in surprise, and so did everyone else, when he heard Fuuka's voice in his mind.

"_I can see..._ _Quick, hit the tall one with fire!"_ Fuuka said telepathically.

Minato complied as soon as her words entered his mind and he commanded Orpheus to blast the sword-wielding Shadow. Bars of fire erupted and as the Shadow's torso burst into flames, they saw it. A colourful aura that spun in front of both Shadows.

"_They're changing weaknesses,_" Fuuka said. "_Someone, hit the other with wind!_"

"I'm on it!" Yukari said, summoning her Persona. Io called forth a raging whirlwind and directed it at the bulbous Shadow, disintegrating its blue dress and green cloak.

The aura in front of them spun once more and Fuuka called out the order as soon as it vanished.

"_Thunder!_"

Blue lightning discharged from Akihiko's Persona (a bulky blue humanoid with long blonde hair and a needle for a right arm) and struck both Shadows.

"_Ice!_"

Shards of ice pierced the Shadows from Penthesilea's blizzard.

"_Physical attacks!_"

Hermes glided across the lobby and slashed at the Shadows, creating deep cuts in both and causing them to topple backwards.

"_Their vulnerable now! Finish them!_" Fuuka shouted.

Everyone commanded their Personas to attack one last time, with ice, wind, fire and lightning culminating in a deadly spiral that swirled and smashed into both of the Shadows. An explosion of black blood followed and then, there was silence.

Mitsuru holstered her Evoker and sighed. They had won. And it was only because of Fuuka. As she spun to see the girl's Persona dissipate and joined the others in approaching her, she couldn't help but let the feeling of curiosity rise alongside a sense of indebtedness.

"It's over, right?" Fuuka asked weakly.

"Yeah, it's over," Minato assured.

Fuuka swayed and Junpei darted forward to catch her. "H-Hey, is she going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine," Mitsuru said, her mind still in disbelief that they were alive. "She's just exhausted."

"Thank goodness. I feared the worst," Yukari said.

"Just give her a few days and she'll be good as new," Akihiko said. His eyes narrowed and he turned to Mitsuru. "Those two Shadows, did you know where they came from?"

Mitsuru exchanged glances with Yukari before meeting Akihiko's stare. "From somewhere outside Tartarus, just like before. They must have been the ones interfering with my scanning as I didn't hear or see them approach at all."

"I thought as much," Akihiko replied.

"Regardless, we should save the questioning for another time," Mitsuru said, and everyone nodded in agreement, too exhausted to think. "Iori, will you be alright in helping Yamagishi out of here?"

"I'll manage," he said as he carried Fuuka into his arms, resisting a smile.

Yukari eyed him but considered it prudent to not comment. "Um, what are we going to do about Natsuki?"

"Don't worry about her," Akihiko answered as he helped the sobbing girl, who was still mumbling her apology to Fuuka, to her feet. "She's not like us so she won't remember any of it."

As Mitsuru watched Akihiko lead them out of Tartarus, she glanced to her right to see Minato approach and gestured for him to walk alongside her.

"I suppose you're going to bring Fuuka on board?" Minato asked, a few minutes after they had passed Gekkoukan's front gate.

"As much as I want to, I won't be forcing her to join," Mitsuru replied, keeping her eyes forward. She did not want to look at him. Not when she knew those thoughts she had had after being released from the Shadow's grasp would resurface. "I'll leave that for her to decide. Though if tonight has proven anything, it's that her support will definitely be invaluable."

Minato nodded. He seemed to understand just how important Yamagishi would be in the coming battles.

Though what concerned Mitsuru more as they followed the others back to the dorm was whether Minato himself understood just how important he was. To the Student Council. To S.E.E.S. To her. He had always been someone she could rely on and while it was comforting to know that he would be there for her, she knew that there would be a time when he would not. Mitsuru did not want to think about how she would cope in a life without him yet again but she hoped she would be ready when it happened.


	18. Pharos

A/N: So here is the first interlude chapter, which will formally introduce Minato's Dark Hour guest among a couple of other things. I had taken this chapter as an opportunity to describe a little bit more of Minato's past so you have an idea of what he remembers. Another section is the dream sequence, which serves as something of an appetizer for you shippers out there.

The next interlude before Shirakawa Boulevard will focus on Shinjiro much like how I designed a chapter specifically for Junpei. It will follow the game for the most part but will have combined scenes to make the story more efficient.

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I'll see you next time in Hagakure Ramen.

* * *

Yukari was surprised Fuuka's time in the hospital lasted only three days. She thought it would have taken longer than that to recover, especially since Fuuka had been wandering around Tartarus without any sort of nourishment for a good week and a half. While that really meant about ten hours or so, it was still a mystery to Yukari how she had managed to survive for that long and return in one piece from a place that sapped your energy by the second. She had heard from the others that Fuuka's Persona was different, heck she had seen it with her own eyes, but if she remembered correctly, Tartarus did not have any alcoves where one could camp. It was just an endless stretch of tiles flanked by walls that changed its appearance every couple of floors, and a ceiling that faded in and out of existence.

Even then, summoning a Persona for the first time was not something to be taken lightly, and if her experience with Minato's awakening was anything to go by, she expected the same thing to happen. Then again, Minato's case was different. Unlike Fuuka, his was violent. And unlike Fuuka, he did not have to endure the constant visits by Mitsuru and Akihiko.

The amount of time the two seniors had spent in seeing Fuuka could only mean that they were coaxing her into joining. Yukari knew that without Fuuka, none of them would be alive but despite all the advantages of being able to pinpoint a Shadow's weakness, she couldn't help but feel that Mitsuru just saw the timid girl as another tool. Another soldier. Another pawn in her game of late night hunting that could one day bring about someone's death.

Her feeling was just that though. A feeling. And as much as she wanted to speak out against Mitsuru, she knew there was little point in doing so because what could she say? That her senpai was wrong in recruiting innocent students? Delusional in the sense that the Shadow threat could be eliminated permanently? None of her arguments made her sound convincing and it did not help that Mitsuru always had a sincere look in her eyes. Even now, with everyone gathered in the command room upon Ikutsuki's request for a debriefing of sorts, she still had it as she straightened her skirt and looked at Fuuka.

Yukari narrowed her eyes. _I will find out what you're hiding from us! I will!_

"Well everyone, you did an excellent job uncovering the truth," Ikutsuki said. He then turned to Mitsuru. "You'd be happy to know that I've already settled the matter with the other members of the Board and as such, no information regarding the truth has been disclosed."

"I appreciate that," Mitsuru replied. "And the girls that were victims of the Shadows?"

"They have all regained their consciousness. Of course, they don't remember anything that happened to them."

Fuuka sighed. "It's all my fault."

"Are you kidding?" Yukari exclaimed. _How could she still blame herself like that?_ "You were the victim."

"But, I made so many people worry," Fuuka replied, casting her eyes down.

"Hey, don't think like that."

At that moment, Mitsuru stood up, crossed over to Fuuka's seat, and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"We could have lost that fight if you weren't there," Mitsuru said. "You saved our lives. And that power you have, it's special. You can use it to help others like the way you did for us."

With the help of the Ikutsuki, Akihiko and Minato (including some silly remarks made by Junpei), Mitsuru quickly explained everything to her. Personas. Shadows. The Dark Hour. Yukari noticed that Fuuka seemed to absorb the information just as well as Minato had. No questions, only acceptance. When the explanation was over, Akihiko placed a silver briefcase onto the coffee table and opened it to reveal a silver Evoker.

Fuuka peered into the briefcase and her eyes widened. "Are you asking me to join you?"

Yukari watched as Mitsuru and Akihiko smiled warmly and nodded in approval. She then looked at Junpei, Ikutsuki and even Minato, and they too were doing the same. Yukari was disgusted. Couldn't they see that Mitsuru was just forcing her to join?

_Someone has to speak up_. _But what to say?_

"You know Fuuka, we're not trying to pressure you," Yukari said slowly. "If you need some more time to think about it–"

"I'll do it," Fuuka announced, standing up with the Evoker in her hands. "I'll help you!"

Yukari was flabbergasted. The seniors and Ikutsuki smiled. Junpei's grin grew even wider, probably at the fact that another female was joining their merry party, and Minato was...lost in thought? Yukari studied her dorm mate and noticed he himself had that same look of sincerity as Mitsuru. _What is with those two?_

"Are you sure?" Yukari asked, trying to suppress her conflicting thoughts. "If you join, you'll have to live here."

Fuuka glanced at Yukari before reverting her eyes to Mitsuru. "That's fine. I'd rather live here than at home anyway."

"We really appreciate this," Mitsuru said, returning to her seat. "We'll have the school talk to your parents, to resolve any issues."

"Thank you."

"Wait a minute," Yukari said, causing everyone to look at her. "Aren't we dragging Fuuka into this a bit fast?"

She felt a hand on hers and turned to see Fuuka.

"Um, it's okay Yukari," Fuuka said. "Really, don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"...If you say so," Yukari replied, resisting the urge to argue further. _Oh how I hate this!_

Ikutsuki cleared his throat. "Now then, since we're all here, I wanted to let you all know on how my research has been going. This concerns those Shadows that have been–"

His words dissipated as they entered Yukari's mind as all she could think of was how she had let Mitsuru have her way yet again. First with _him_, and now with Fuuka. It was not the fact that they were endangering another innocent person that annoyed her so but the fact that none of her comrades could see it. She sighed and leaned into the chair's cushion. Well of course they wouldn't. Junpei was too busy daydreaming (probably about Fuuka), Akihiko was too interested in getting stronger, and Minato was, as far as she could tell, spacing out as per usual. _Let's just hope that this is it. No more new people. Please. _

"–pattern continues, the next full moon Shadow should be the Hierophant, the one after that the Lovers and so on," Ikutsuki finished.

"Is that something we should be excited about?" Junpei asked, scratching his head.

"Oh, I get it," Fuuka said. "If there's twelve in all, then there's eight we haven't seen yet."

_Eight more huh? Lucky us._ Since joining, Yukari had often wondered how long this whole ordeal would last. And although she was glad that there was finally a sense of direction, she had a feeling that it would not be over once they reached the end. It could not be that easy. It never was that easy.

From the corner of her eye, she espied Mitsuru exchanging glances with Minato. It was subtle, but it was there, and it annoyed her. _I knew he was lying back in the hospital. He knows something the others don't. And I'm sure _she_ knows too._ Interrogating Mitsuru in front of everyone was something Yukari dare not try but, if it were the only way to expose her secrets and get those answers about what happened ten years ago, then she had no other choice. It had to be done. She just hoped that she could do so soon before it was too late.

* * *

The debriefing ended soon after Ikutsuki finished his explanation. While he appeared to be in a state of ignorance in Yukari's eyes, it was quite the contrary. The moment the Chairman began to elaborate on the full moon Shadows, Minato's internal alarms began ringing and he sat straight up, shooting a glance at his senpai before fixating his eyes on Ikutsuki. They were both shocked at the uncanny coincidence, but he noticed there was something more in Mitsuru's eyes from the quick glance she gave. Regret? Realization? He was not too sure what it meant until several minutes later, when everyone apart from his senpai had left the room.

"Talk about a coincidence huh?" Minato said after another few silent minutes.

"I'll say," Akihiko replied, folding his arms. "Now I feel like an idiot for not listening to you."

"No Akihiko," Mitsuru said, her eyes looking rather solemn. "It's my fault for not trusting him on this sooner. Had I not been so careless, then I–" She cut off in mid-sentence upon noticing Minato who was shaking his head.

"Don't take all the blame senpai," Minato said. "You had every right to believe what you did. I mean, if someone came to me saying, 'Hey, did you know there'll be a Shadow come next full moon?', I'd be pretty skeptical too."

Akihiko chuckled at his mysterious-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-like tone and Mitsuru tried her best to resist the smile that crept to her lips. She failed in doing so and the smile that formed was so lovely that Minato could only hold her gaze. He knew getting lost in her looks was something he had promised himself not to do but he supposed that, just this once, it would be fine. After all, it was not everyday where one had the opportunity to see such a smile.

"In any case," Mitsuru said, returning to her serious self, "with the Chairman's theory and yours coinciding, at least we now have some certainty in knowing what we have to prepare for. I know we haven't discussed this much since the last operation but have there been any irregularities with your Personas?"

"Not as of late," Minato said, shaking his head lightly. "They did start swirling again a few days before we rescued Fuuka, like how they did before the train operation, but I figured it would be best to leave it alone since both of you were on the fence about my theory."

"That's fair enough," Akihiko said. Then he stood up and punched a fist into the palm of his other hand. "Well then, it's time to start training even harder now. You up for a marathon tomorrow?"

Minato grinned and got up as well. "I bet that I'll get to the finish line before you do."

"Ha, not a chance," Akihiko replied, before bidding them goodnight and exiting the room.

_And now we're alone again. Whatever you do, Minato, keep a cool head. _

"Arisato, exactly what has he been telling you?" Mitsuru asked. Her authoritative voice made it sound as if he were in serious trouble but when he turned to face her, he noticed her playful smirk. Boy, was he getting lucky today.

"Oh I'm sure you know Mitsuru-senpai," Minato said.

"Protein is the solution to everything?"

"Unfortunately. Has he always been like this?"

Mitsuru nodded, sighed at her partner in crime's never changing beliefs, then rose from her chair to approach him. "Whatever it is, make sure you take whatever he says with a grain of salt. Especially his monologues about protein."

"Don't worry, I tune out when he goes on about protein," Minato replied. He then tilted his head upon seeing shades of light pink on her cheeks. Was she...blushing? "Something wrong senpai?"

"No it's just...um...it's been a while since I've felt this relieved. To think that just two months ago, Akihiko and I were blindly going after Shadows without really accomplishing anything. Now we have a formidable squad, someone with a unique but vital skill set, and some direction on what all _this _means." She averted her gaze to the monitor on her right then returned it back to Minato. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, thank you. For everything you've done so far. And for saving my, no, our lives back there."

Minato was at a loss for words. She had praised him before whenever he did something correct in Student Council but it was always in French and never felt as genuine as this. _Crap, I'm losing it. Come on, stay focused and say something. Say something!_ But his mouth would not move. His jaw was eager to remain locked in place and his eyes wanted to look into hers. It seemed it was the right time to do something out of a romantic novel, lean in and kiss her perhaps, but the moment he decided to go for it was the moment she regained her composure.

"Anyway, I'll be counting on you," Mitsuru said, apparently oblivious to what the situation looked like from an outsider's perspective. "You had better get some rest if you're intending to best Akihiko tomorrow." She strode to the exit, gave him a wink, and left the room.

Minato returned to his room shortly after she did, and while he did want to rest and make an attempt to not think about what just happened for the next seven hours, it was impossible. Her irresistible smile, her blushing cheeks, her playful wink. There was something about Mitsuru this evening that he couldn't quite grasp and the confusion of it all was agonizing. Was it possible she was interested? That she was dropping hints? The thought had occurred to him but it sounded absurd to think that was the case when it could have been a simple but expressive 'thank you for saving my life'. Telling himself the answer would eventuate, he changed into his pajamas and went to bed. Sleep came surprisingly fast but it was no liberation from reality as his thoughts regarding Mitsuru followed him into his dreams like a hungry pack of wolves chasing their prey.

* * *

_He was back in the command room, watching Akihiko leave when Mitsuru spoke. He pivoted and there she was, sitting on the couch, legs crossed. He moved to take a seat beside her upon seeing her gesture and as he did so, he noticed this was the closest he had ever gotten to her. He wondered if that would change tonight but the thought was halted momentarily when she commented about Akihiko, his obsession with protein, and the outcome of tomorrow's competition. _

_"Well just so you know," Mitsuru said while adjusting the curls in her hair, "I'll be rooting for you."_

_ He was surprised to hear that. He did not think someone he knew for only the past two months would have taken such a liking towards him. He thought it would be more appropriate for her to cheer for her long time childhood friend. _

_"Are you sure?" he replied. "What about Akihiko-senpai?"_

_"Oh don't worry about him," she said, waving a hand in the air. "I've supported him for far too long. Besides, you saved my life back there. I think it's only fair for me support those who are willing to demonstrate their regard for me. Don't you agree?"_

_ He nodded, not realizing that there was something about her manner of speech that seemed off. He dismissed the thought. He knew Mitsuru spoke like this. He inched closer to her, inhaling the scent that was hers and hers alone, and said, "You're right. Mitsuru-_senpai_."_

_"Oh Arisato," she said, adjusting the curls in her hair and giggling at how he emphasized her name. Her cheeks suddenly reddened but instead of looking away, she kept her eyes on him and placed a hand on his. "There's no need for senpai. No need at all." _

_ He was allured by her sexy voice and as he leaned forward, so did she. He got closer, and closer and closer until there was barely a single stream of light between their almost touching lips. He knew her scent was intoxicating him but he didn't care. He only cared about how good and appropriate it was for this moment of pure bliss. He held this position; his lips gently brushing hers, one hand caressing her thigh, the other stroking her hair. He, unable to hold his desire for her any longer, pressed his lips against hers and she did the same with a passion he never thought she was capable of. He relished the feeling, knowing that nothing could be as right as this, nothing could ever–_

* * *

–feel as wrong as this.

It was not the stagnant air or the warped sense of wrongness that crushed his ecstasy dripping dream (which didn't feel right or wrong) into shards of memories, and yanked him from the depths of sleep but something else.

Someone else.

He reached under his pillow to seize the Evoker hidden there and sitting up with a jolt, he raised it to his temple only to realize he was in no danger at all. There was no Shadow that had come to smash his window open but instead, a small boy in pajamas who sat at the foot of his bed, smiling with his head tilted in amusement.

"Good evening," the boy said as Minato sighed.

"Seriously? You startle me to the point I almost pull the trigger and you can still remain calm?" Minato replied, stuffing his Evoker back under the pillow. "Oh and for the record, this time of night sucks."

The boy pretended to have not heard the question. "That's only your perspective. There may be others who could say the opposite." He then pointed at the pillow. "By the way, you should be more careful with that. What if one of your friends walks in here and you use it on them? Considering the vast potential within you and your struggle for control, you could easily hurt someone before you realize it."

"I would never hurt– Wait, you know about..." Minato said before inclining his head. He wondered if the boy understood what he meant.

"Of course I do. As I've said, I'm always with you."

"You keep saying that and I still don't get it."

"Perhaps one day you will," the boy said, clasping his hands. "It should be interesting to see."

"In that case, it's something we'll both be looking forward to then," Minato said and the boy nodded contently. He sat up properly, blinked several times to ensure he would not doze off and ensuring that he hadn't woken Junpei up, he turned his full attention on the boy. "So what brings you here? Anymore ordeals I should know about?"

The boy frowned for a moment, a little irritated that he had to think for an answer. "Not really no. I just came to visit you and see how you're doing." He then cocked his head, as if he remembered something. "Hey, if you don't mind, can I be your friend?"

Regardless of the fact it was late at night and the Dark Hour could slow down a person's thinking, the boy's question was eccentric enough to wake him up completely.

"Aren't we already friends?" Minato replied. Between the Dark Hour's distortions and the boy's stare that seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, it was hard to think.

"I don't know. How close must two people be before they can acknowledge each other as a 'friend'?"

"Well with you visiting me every now and then, I'd say we're pretty close. So yes, you can be my friend."

It was hard not to cringe at saying those words but Minato figured that the boy couldn't tell the difference between what sounded weird and what did not. He chuckled, and knowing he was unlikely to get more sleep, he decided he would keep talking in the hope that he could learn something.

"You know, why don't you tell me more about yourself?" Minato asked. "If we're going to be friends, then I should at least know something about you."

"Something about me?" the boy repeated in that same monotonous voice. "Hmm. Well, I'm an orphan. Like you."

"Your parents die in a car crash too?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I used to have an older sister as well but she passed away due to illness."

Minato blinked at how the boy was so calm at discussing such melancholic memories, but more at the details of the boy's past. A car crash killing his parents? His older sister dying of illness? It couldn't be. There was no way that what the boy was saying could be possible because Minato knew that story was his own. He clenched his fists, letting his fingernails bite into the palm of his hand. The pain was real, unfortunately, so he was not dreaming and this boy was not lying.

"It's strange you say that because the same happened to my family as well," Minato said.

"Really?" the boy asked, his eyes wide with intrigue.

Minato nodded, trying his best to not let his curiosity of this uncanny coincidence show on his face. "Quite the coincidence isn't it?"

"Perhaps," the boy said with a small smile. "Tell me more about your family. What were they like?"

"They were pretty ordinary," Minato said, shrugging. "Both my parents worked and my older sister, Minako, was usually out with her friends from the various clubs she'd joined. But even though they were all busy, I knew that they were always looking out for me. Especially Minako. She would try to drag me along to her outings, saying that I needed to spend more time with others, but I always refused."

Minato paused as he noticed the boy tilt his head and give him an odd look, as if he had missed something that should have been obvious.

"What is it?"

"Oh nothing," the boy said, though it was quite clear from his face that there was something. "Keep going."

Minato took a deep breath and let it out, waiting for his thoughts to rearrange themselves. "Well, after weeks and weeks of refusing her demands, I finally gave in and decided I would have to accompany her the next time she asked. Unfortunately, there was no next time because that was when Minako became really sick. And it wasn't just her. People all around Japan were catching this same virus that had the potential to kill. Me and my parents were lucky to have avoided it but it wasn't much of a silver lining when there was no cure at the time. We had to watch her suffering and when we were told to evacuate to somewhere safer and leave her behind, we all took it really hard.

"We didn't want to leave her behind. She was family. But for the sake of containing the virus, we had to and so we moved to Iwatodai, a town that was quite far away from the epidemic. I transferred to a school there and it was only then that I learnt how much Minako had been there for me. How much she cared and wanted for me not to be alone. It took me a while to fully understand it all and when I did, I decided I would fulfill her wish. That was when I..."

_When I what? _

Minato frowned as he reached the mental roadblock. It was not the first time he had encountered it but he thought for sure that this time, with the boy goading him into telling his life story, he would remember what happened. He backed up his memories, and then replayed them from when he transferred into that school, hoping that something would spark. But he once again slammed into the barricade with no success. He did not understand. Why couldn't he recall the events between his transfer and his parents' death?

"That's quite a story," the boy said. "I don't remember a lot of things so I'm surprised you could recall that much. It is a shame though that you don't know what happened. I would've like to hear it."

"You and me both," Minato said, his mind still too busy searching for anything that could help him remove this invisible wall to question how eerie their similarities were becoming. Knowing that continuing to think so hard was fruitless, he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and let the matter rest. Maybe the answer would come in time. Maybe it would not. "But that's enough sharing, I need to know something."

The boy looked at him expectantly with a smile. "Yes?"

"Who are you? And why are you helping me?" Minato asked.

"I am...myself. And I'm helping you because I find your plight interesting," the boy replied. His tone sounded off, as if he were uncomfortable with all the sudden questions, but then again, it could be just the Dark Hour throwing things out of proportion as usual. "That is all there is to it."

"Really?"

The boy nodded and before Minato could press further, the air rippled. A shift that was similar to the end of the Dark Hour yet completely different at the same time. Minato looked at the boy who now stood at the foot of his bed (his method of teleportation was puzzling to no end) and felt the room darken even further, shadows plunging it into a deep black. So black that the boy's glowing eyes became the only thing he could see in the darkness. And even that seemed dim.

"Well, this has been fun but you should get back to sleep," the boy said. His voice sounded distant, which was strange because he was less than a meter away. "I'll come see you again soon."

"Hang on," Minato said. "You didn't tell me your name."

"Name? Oh I see, I need a name. In that case, my name is...Pharos."

His bright blue eyes then winked out as the darkness swallowed him.


	19. Deals

A/N: Here's the second interlude, featuring Shinjiro and introducing Strega. It was a little difficult trying to throw in some original dialogue between the two scenes since Shinjiro is a man of few words but hopefully the deviations I've made are noticeable.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter and I'll see you guys next time in that dreaded love hotel.

* * *

The constant chatter of voices, loud slurping of noodles, and the heavy aroma of pork broth hung in the air as Shinjiro awaited his order. Eating at Hagakure Ramen was something he always looked forward to. It gave him another chance to figure out the ingredients they used to create the soup base of their house special. The spicy yet sweet flavor was unique to the store, and that alone could make it so packed that you had to queue for a good half hour before entering. Once you did enter, you had approximately twenty minutes to finish your meal before they asked you to leave. No time to enjoy the food. No time to savor the taste.

Shinjiro had been victim to this several times but after a while, he figured out the trick. Which was to go in an hour before closing time. It seemed silly to dine at this hour as the end of a business day meant that supplies would be short and possibly not so fresh. But that only held true for the surrounding restaurants because out of all his visits, not once did Shinjiro notice the supplies at Hagakure Ramen drop. At all. He had thought about how that could be and just shook his head. Like Mitsuru had so blatantly put it once, there were some things in life that were better remained in secrecy.

As the server placed his bowl of ramen in front of him, he caught sight of Akihiko entering the store and making his way to a seat beside him. Shinjiro groaned, lowered his head and focused on the soup's tantalizing aroma. _Out of all the times he wants to talk, he has to pick now?_

"I'll have what he's having, except with more meat please," Akihiko said to the server, before taking a seat beside Shinjiro. Although he kept his eyes forward on the server, who began to scoop the soup out of a large pot, Shinjiro knew that he may as well be looking at him. "How can you eat the same thing all the time, without getting sick of it?"

"Shut up," Shinjiro replied, picking up his chopsticks. He refused to look up at the person who disturbed his food critiquing. Even if said person was a friend since childhood. "You always eat that protein shit."

"Well how else am I gonna get stronger?"

Shinjiro let the question hang and began eating, focusing on the texture and flavor of the ingredients. The noodles were al dente as always, the accompaniments just right, and the soup still very savory. From the corner of his eye, he could see Akihiko's bowl decorated with slices of pork to the point it was the only accompaniment to the noodles. He sighed, unable to comprehend how anything with that much meat could taste good, and went back to analyzing the soup's ingredients.

"So, you still haven't made up your mind?" Akihiko asked after a few minutes.

"Is that what this is about?" Shinjiro replied, now looking at him."You want me back in?"

Akihiko nodded slightly and placed his chopsticks on the bowl. "We've got four new members. Things have changed quite a bit since you left."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Well for a start, we've got someone who wields more than one."

Shinjiro's eyes widened. "That's not possible. A person can only have one."

"Yeah well that's we thought at first," Akihiko said, clasping his hands. "But I've seen Arisato's handiwork firsthand and it's pretty remarkable. Even Mitsuru holds him in high regard."

"Arisato? Must be that kid," Shinjiro muttered, thinking of that blue haired boy who demonstrated some competence in fist fighting back in that courtyard.

"That kid? Do you know him or something?"

"That's not important. What else has changed?"

Akihiko pursed his lips. "Mitsuru's returned to the front lines. With her and Arisato around, we're a lot more aggressive than we used to be."

"What? Why is she fighting alongside you? I thought she was delegated to support."

"She only joined because our latest member has a similar but stronger search ability."

Shinjiro turned his attention back to his ramen, which looked rather unappetizing now that Akihiko had distracted him. _Someone with a stronger analyzing skill than Mitsuru? That's a first. And they're more aggressive now are they? That actually suits me quite–_

"I'm not interested," Shinjiro said, cutting off the thought. He would not go back down that path.

"Think about it Shinji," Akihiko said. "Don't let your power go to waste."

"My power ain't worth shit. Besides, I made up my mind a long time ago. I ain't going back."

"You have to let the past go. What's done is done. It's time you moved on."

Shinjiro rummaged through his coat pockets for a couple of coins and placed them beside his almost empty bowl. He then stood up and faced Akihiko once more. "You're one to talk. Face it, you're no different than me."

Before Akihiko could reply, he was already out the door. When he felt that there was substantial distance between him and the store, he cursed in frustration. Several onlookers turned to inspect him as if he were drunk but one glare was enough to send them scurrying away. Shinjiro scoffed at their nosiness and continued to walk through the now thinning streets of Iwatodai towards the train station.

He was surprised to see the station still full of people considering midnight was fast approaching and as he boarded the train to Port Island, he wondered if he would receive any snide remarks about his looks. It was not rare for the usual businessman to do so but he hoped that it would happen today. He needed to vent the anger that came every time Akihiko asked that question. Normally, Shinjiro could keep it under control but this time, he knew doing so would be the day Akihiko quit boxing. Being denied the opportunity to figure out that particular ingredient had pissed him off greatly and shouting at someone felt like the right thing to do.

Much to his dismay however, the ride to Port Island was uneventful and boring. Disembarking the train and leaving the station, he wandered through the nearby shopping area, passing by the local cinema and several closed shops and cafes. He glanced at his watch as he headed down an alleyway and once the two hands pointed upwards, he felt it. The shift to the Dark Hour had arrived once again and packaged with it was a pulsing headache. The pain was beginning to grow tiresome but as it was no different to last night's, or the night before that, Shinjiro simply ignored it like he always had. He rounded a corner to see a familiar courtyard up ahead but refrained from entering when a panicked voice echoed through the area.

"Wh-What the hell is this?" the voice said.

Shinjiro moved forward and, ensuring that he was still hidden from view, inspected the scene before him. There was someone. A male, likely in his teens or early twenties, stumbling away from two tall coffins. Shinjiro kept his hands in his coat pockets. As much as he wanted to prevent yet another person become an empty husk, he knew it was too late. The Shadows would be coming for him soon and even if wanted to do something about it, Shinjiro also knew that without the medication, his ability to channel _that_ power was unstable. He sighed and remained where he was, then stiffened as three figures entered the courtyard from the opposite end.

"Good evening," the tall man in the middle said, causing the teenager to pivot and look at them with a mix of newfound hope and fear. With long gray hair, an exposed torso, and tattoos carved onto both arms, the man appeared to be some sort of homeless person. That impression did not last long though, as once the teenager noticed the shiny silver revolver tucked in between the tall man's torn jeans and studded white belt, he whimpered like a puppy.

"Are you surprised?" the tall man continued, "Truth be told, we all visit this world every night."

"Wh-What are you saying?" the teenager asked. "Who the hell are you?

Instead of answering, the tall man looked to his bespectacled companion and gestured him to step forward and deal with the situation.

"This is you, right?" the companion asked, holding out a wanted paper. He was shorter than the man who had first spoken and held a silver briefcase in his right hand. From where Shinjiro stood, the green jacket the companion wore allowed him to blend in with the green tinge of the Dark Hour like a chameleon.

"Where did you get this?" the teenager demanded.

"Somebody's got a grudge against you, and they asked us to get revenge. It's that simple really."

"Revenge? Who put you up to this?"

The companion stuffed the paper in his pocket and laughed. "We wouldn't be professionals if we told you now would we?"

"Professionals?" the teenager repeated, eyes widening. "Oh shit. You mean, those rumors on the net are true?"

At that moment, the companion stepped back and the tall man pulled out his revolver.

"Hey, w-wait! I haven't done anything!" the teenager yelled.

"That is not our concern," the tall man said. "Your notion of right and wrong is irrelevant. My client's wishes are all that matter. People hear what they choose to hear, and believe what they want to believe." He aimed.

"N-No, get away from me!"

The teenager turned but as soon as he tried to bolt, the air cracked and he dropped to the ground, a crimson puddle beginning to form where he lay.

"I love it when they squeal like that. Hearing such raw emotion just makes me feel so alive," the tall man said, shoving the revolver in between his belt and jeans.

"He's not dead," said the third figure, who had long red hair and a complexion as white as her elaborate gown. Her voice was hollow.

"Doesn't matter," said the companion, adjusting his glasses. "We've held up our end of the bargain. Besides, tomorrow this will just seem like some random crime." He turned to walk back the way he came but the tall man stopped him.

"Wait a moment, Jin. It seems we have a visitor with us this evening," the tall man said. He took a few steps forward and peered down the alleyway directly in front of him, his yellow eyes cutting through the darkness. "If you're done watching friend, you may show yourself."

_So they're the ones behind that 'Revenge Request' website_, Shinjiro thought. He slowly emerged from the shadows and out into the courtyard, his eyes holding the tall man's gaze. Even though he had known these people for some time, it was still awkward to be around them. Perhaps it was because he himself was not wearing an outlandish outfit, or perhaps it was because he was unable to mimic their total disregard for the world and everything in it. Whatever the reason was, it was irrelevant as Shinjiro knew that without them, he would be as well off as the Lost.

The tall man gave him a sidelong glance then looked to his companion. "Jin, give him the capsules."

The man known as 'Jin' reached into his pocket, brought out a small cylindrical container containing several white capsules, and handed it to Shinjiro.

"Thanks," Shinjiro said, reaching into his pockets. "I'll pay you the same as–"

"That won't be necessary," the tall man interrupted. "This time, information will suffice." When Shinjiro raised an eyebrow, he continued, "Your acquaintances have been busy lately with their activities on nights when the moon is full. They've spent a great deal of time in the tower as well. Why did they take this burden upon themselves?"

Shinjiro thought about this; the floating remnants of past memories somehow coming together for the first time in years. The multitude of invitations to rejoin S.E.E.S., the early days of fighting Shadows alongside Akihiko and Mitsuru, and then that dreadful day when–

"You do know, don't you?" the tall man prodded. "But, you don't wish to say? Is it because they are your friends?"

"Friends? Like hell they are. I've got nothing to do with them," Shinjiro said, grimacing.

"Then, tell us."

Shinjiro shifted his eyes and shrugged. "I don't know too much of the details but I know they're pretty keen on destroying those creatures. This is just a guess but they're probably hoping that by doing so, it'll make the tower disappear and with it, the Dark Hour."

"You mean, they intend to eliminate the Dark Hour and the Tower of Demise?" the tall man asked, taken aback.

"Seems like it."

The tall man swore. "Why would they do such a thing?! With the power they have..." He suddenly seized his revolver and pointed it at Shinjiro, who raised an eyebrow.

"Whoa, easy Takaya," Jin said, placing a hand on Takaya's shoulder. "It's not like shooting him is going to solve anything."

"I have a request for you," Takaya said, brushing Jin's hand off. "Tell your acquaintances to stop their excursions to the almighty Tower. And whatever they do on nights when the moon is full."

Shinjiro scoffed. "Why don't you tell them yourself? It'll seem more believable."

Takaya's finger tightened around the trigger and to Shinjiro, it almost looked as if he were going to. Then, with great reluctance, he lowered the revolver. And chuckled. "You're right. It will be more believable that way. Come now, Jin and Chidori, we have a little observation to make." He then turned on his heel and disappeared in the darkness, his companions following suit.

As Shinjiro watched them leave, he could not fathom why Takaya was so devoted in keeping Tartarus around. _Who wouldn't want to take out that damn tower?_ Letting the thought wander, he opened the container with capsules, took one and swallowed it. His headache died down a little and the urge of his Persona quelled.

He then leaned against the wall, hands in pockets, and thought about Akihiko's words. _Am I really letting my power go to waste? _Images of a memory long buried raced across his mind. This place. That Shadow. The accident. Shinjiro held his head and severed the thought. No. He could not go back. If doing so risked the life of another, then he would rather die. He chuckled. It was only a matter of time anyway.


	20. Illusions

**A/N: So here it is: Shirakawa Boulevard. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this chapter to be so long but I wanted to really flesh out the details because the events here really make an impact. As mentioned previously, I have modified the course of events to specifically suit Minato and Mitsuru. For those of you who want more interactions between them, rest assured, this chapter will have a generous serving of it.  
**

**In regards to where the story is headed next, Yakushima is coming up soon. To keep things fresh however, there is more than one reason why they must go there and the answer to that will lie in my next update. **

**So for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy this monster of a chapter. I hope it blows you away the way it did for me when I wrote it. **

* * *

The days following Fuuka's incident were some of the best. Everything was normal for a change, or as normal as life was when one had the nocturnal job of slaying Shadows, and Minato never felt better. His habit of falling asleep during class began to subside, the responsibilities of being Mitsuru's assistant were achieved with relative ease, and visits to Tartarus every other night were more enjoyable than they had ever been. He did not know the catalyst of this unexpected optimism but supposed it was all thanks to Fuuka.

Things had changed ever since she was declared battle ready and now, she played the role that Mitsuru had been doing for the last two months: to remain in the lobby of Tartarus and provide navigational support. With a Persona that could not only direct them to the stairs of each floor, but also pinpoint a Shadows' weaknesses, the struggle that was figuring out how to defeat Shadows instead became a competition to see who could defeat the most on a given floor. Of course, there were several precautions taken in order to avoid the shortcomings of the previous operation; the primary one being someone staying behind in the lobby to protect Fuuka. At first, it seemed to be a good idea to keep the exploration interesting but after a few days, Minato noticed two things.

The scoreboard became as skewed as the Formula One Constructors Standings.

And a decline in the attitude of his classmates, Junpei in particular.

Minato guessed it had something to do with the fact that Junpei had been assigned to watch over Fuuka more often than not but other than Yukari, who else could? He was their field leader and most important asset, Mitsuru wanted to make up for her combat hiatus, and it was impossible to convince Akihiko to stop training. There hadn't been any heated arguments yet, though somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew there would be. The only question was when? When would Junpei finally crack and accuse him of things that were out of his hands? The wait for it was dreadful given Junpei's mood swings were unpredictable and as a few more days passed, it looked as though he himself would crack instead.

Once rumours of couples being found unconscious began to spread around school like a wildfire however, setting the mouths of many females ablaze with useless gossip, he found it relaxing rather than frightening. Hell, he was actually glad. Perhaps it was time to settle whatever problem Junpei had. Though whether it was prudent to do so given what came with a full moon made him think twice. According to Fuuka, the Shadow was located in a building in Shirakawa Boulevard: an adjoining area to Iwatodai Station. More commonly known as the 'red light district', the place was infamous for its bright neon lights, sleazy bars and love hotels. Just a mere description was enough to make Yukari uneasy and when Junpei's usual teasing was nowhere to be found, Minato knew for sure that something was wrong.

It irritated him that he had to fight whilst knowing one of his allies was unstable but seeing as though nothing could be done, Minato just followed Fuuka's directions and led the others through the Boulevard in silence. Even though there was no one around, the acrid scent of saké, tobacco and cheap perfume somehow hung in the air like a haze. Combined with the way the Dark Hour smelt of blood and decay, every breath taken made him want to throw up. The smell lingered in the hotel where the Shadow was too, blanketing the atmosphere and leaving everyone in a sour mood. He hoped that the fight would be quick and effortless because if walking through the corridors already sapped their energy, then a prolonged fight similar to the previous would probably kill them.

"Fuuka, how far away are we?" Minato asked as he led the others down another corridor.

He held up his left hand to cover his mouth and nose, with his right gripping the hilt of his sabre, and breathed short breaths. Behind him, Junpei and Yukari were doing the same, while Akihiko waved at the air in front of him every now and then. Mitsuru, who was beside him, held a handkerchief to her nose and Minato could hear her mumbling something. He presumed it was cursing of some sort, perhaps in French because her voice was quite euphonious, but questioned that assumption because he knew Mitsuru wasn't one to swear.

_At this point, I wouldn't blame her if she did,_ he thought.

"_Not far now_," Fuuka replied telepathically from the dorm. "_Just one more floor up and it'll be two rooms down from the one near the entrance_."

"That's a relief," Minato said, the others nodding in agreement at Fuuka's words.

As they ascended another flight of stairs, which took a surprisingly large amount of effort, Minato couldn't help feeling that they were walking straight into an ambush. The thick and sticky air that, combined with the purple-pink lighting, made him want to glue his eyelids together. The nauseating smell, that had worsened to the point where even taking small breaths could make you gag. The soft voices that hissed unintelligible words in his mind and raised his suspicion. It all appeared to be part of the Shadow's plan to weaken them to the point they would be annihilated in one clean sweep.

He let his thoughts wander upon approaching the correct room and when the others had gathered around him, he turned to face them. "Does something about all this feel off?"

"Not anymore wrong than it always is," Junpei said. "Come on, let's get this over and done with." He stepped forward, and was about to push the door open when Akihiko placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hang on a second Junpei," Akihiko said, then turned to Minato. "What do you mean by off?"

Minato averted his eyes from Junpei's cutting look. "I mean it seems rather odd that the Shadow would be just waiting here for us to kill it. Don't you think it would have a backup plan of some sort?"

"You mean like the one in the train?" Yukari asked and Minato nodded.

"You might be onto something. And considering how each of the previous fights went..." Mitsuru said. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

"I'm thinking–" Minato started.

"–that we should just kill the damn thing and stop wasting our time!" Junpei snapped. He pushed past Akihiko, rammed the door open with his shoulder, and summoned his Persona.

Haunting laughter alongside sparks of electricity filled the room immediately after Junpei's charge and Minato had no choice but to follow suit. He directed the others to attack the Shadow while it was still focusing on Junpei. Between the many hours spent training and their resolve to finish the job quickly so they could leave this forsaken hotel, the battle was soon over. As the Shadow exploded into nothingness however, Minato did not feel the satisfaction and relief that victory brought. He instead felt that sense of being ambushed lurking about. Because the Shadow was defeated too easily. No full moon Shadow had even been that easy. He looked around for any signs pointing towards a follow-up attack but apart from the ceiling mirror, the rotating waterbed, and the voices that continued to linger in his mind, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"See, what did I tell ya," Junpei said, half smiling as he strode to the door leading towards the hallway. "There's no ambush."

"Well there could have been," Yukari said, stuffing an arrow back in her quiver. "You just got lucky. Besides, there's nothing wrong with taking extra care. Especially after what happened last time."

"I got no problem with being more careful but I just think that _you_ guys were being way too paranoid."

He was not sure if his senpai or Yukari noticed it, but in either case, Minato knew Junpei was primarily referring to him. Leaving his investigation of the room behind, he holstered his Evoker and approached Junpei.

"Fine. I admit that I was being paranoid," Minato said. "But you know just as well as I do that I'm only being this way so that everyone makes it out in one piece. Your safety is just as important as everyone else here."

"Yeah yeah, spare me the lecture man," Junpei said, turning to face the door. "Let's just go." He placed a hand on the handle, twisted it and pushed.

But nothing happened.

The door would not budge.

"Uh oh," Junpei mumbled.

"Oh great, what did you do now?" Yukari asked.

"I-I didn't do anything. But, uh, I can't open the door."

"You're kidding right?"

Junpei shook his head.

"Here, let me see that," Akihiko said. He gestured for Junpei to step away and threw a punch at it. As soon as his cestuses connected, he was thrown onto his backside. He grimaced. "Something's holding that door shut."

"Wait a minute," Mitsuru said. "Didn't we leave the door open?"

"I'm pretty sure we did," Minato said. He replayed the fight in his head. Gunshots, flying arrows and an explosion of Shadow blood. No recollection of seeing the door slam shut. He frowned. Why couldn't he remember something that happened less than fifteen minutes ago? He did not have an eidetic memory but remembering something as simple as this should have been easy. "Huh. On second thought, I don't remember."

Mitsuru's brow creased as she folded her arms. "Yamagishi! Can you see if there's anything behind that door?"

"_Right away Mitsuru-senpai,_" Fuuka replied. A few minutes passed. Then she spoke, "_I don't sense anything behind that door. But–"_

There was a hiss of static and they all cringed at the connection dissipating.

"Wait, what was she going to say?" Akihiko asked, holding his head.

"I'm not sure," Mitsuru said with a troubled look. She sighed. "But it seems we're trapped here."

Yukari's eyes widened as she processed Mitsuru's words. Then she slumped her shoulders and groaned. "Ugh, thanks a lot, Stupei."

"Oh, so now it's my fault?" Junpei retorted.

"Well of course it is. Whose idea was it to just barge in without a plan?"

"Hey! You know you wanted that Shadow dead so we could get out of this shitty place just as much as I did!"

Yukari's face softened and she looked away, knowing it was true. Minato inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm himself but even so, he was still on the verge of joining their pointless argument. Then, knowing this had to be settled first before they could figure out what to do next, he stepped in between the two.

"As much as I love the way you two argue like an old married couple, we're not going to get anywhere like this," Minato said. "So just accept the fact that we made a mistake and let it go already."

"Fine," Junpei said. "If that's what the _leader_ wants. Do you even have a plan to get out of here?"

"Well there is something we haven't tried yet."

Minato turned to face the door and after gesturing for Akihiko to catch him if there was any recoil, he positioned his sabre in the narrow slit above the lock. Then sliced downwards. He was confident that the lock would break so when the blade instead shattered on impact, shards of metal spraying, Minato's heart sunk.

It sunk even further when he realised that a broken weapon was the least of his concerns. While he stared in disbelief at his now useless blade, the others had pivoted to the vibrant hum emanating from the back of the room. By the time Minato spun to see the dark shroud seeping out of the glowing mirror's spider web cracks, it was too late. The discharged pulse of energy that wavered the distortions of the Dark Hour smashed into him like a fierce tidal current. He was surprised that he was still standing and seeing his friends also standing confused him. Didn't pulses of energy like that cause some kind of physical damage? Knock them back into walls? It was puzzling that this particular pulse did not do either of those things but, if it made it easier to get to his friends, then what did it matter? He reached out towards the blurry figure that looked to be Yukari, only to find that his right arm would not move. He tried his other arm, then his legs, and it was all to no avail. Minato did not understand. How could his limbs feel as if they were shackled to four giant boulders? He was standing. He was fine. He was–

–drugged. He had enough time to register that fact from the final functional part of his brain when he heard it.

The shouting.

The coughing.

The moaning.

The sounds penetrated through the thick, oily scent of tobacco, perfume, sex and alcohol that soaked the room, painting vivid hallucinations that danced before his eyes. The part of him that tried to counter it knew the images really were hallucinations but that was all it could do before whatever was in his system had completed its mission.

His consciousness faded and except for the pink shroud and the voices that now cooed in his mind, he heard and saw nothing else.

* * *

Cascading water that rushed like a waterfall. Rising steam that made the air humid and heavy. Bright lights that threw their rays to the ground. The world returned to him in stages and as it did, he pictured himself by a small lake in a tranquil rainforest. Calm, soothed and relaxed. It felt right to be in such a place because really, was there anywhere better? Of course not. Nothing could beat the sounds of brimming wildlife, the earthy smell of the verdant flora that surrounded him and–

Apple scented shampoo.

What? Shampoo? No that couldn't be right. He was in a rainforest. Who brought shampoo to a rainforest? He blocked off the stream of random thoughts that interrupted his meditation and instead concentrated on mother nature's sublime creations: the flora, the fauna, the amazing scent of–

Apple.

Again? What was this madness? Annoyed that he couldn't find peace, he decided he would hunt down the source of this unnatural but enticing aroma. As he opened his eyes, the cocktail of scents that had assaulted him back in the room with the glowing mirror began to swirl in his head. He ignored it and blinked, trying to make sense of the cream coloured square in front of him. It was only after a minute of hard staring, that he realised he was not having a vacation in the Amazon.

But in a bathroom.

He sighed, and gathering what strength he had, pushed himself to his feet using the edge of the sink to steady himself. Once the specks of colour in his eyes dissipated, he inspected his surroundings. Expensive, marble tiles that covered the floor and walls. An assortment of fluffy towels that hung on a rack above and to the side of a pair of fancy sinks with heart shaped handles. And a mirror blasted with steam.

_What am I doing in a bathroom? I'm supposed to be– _

_"In the Amazon? My, your imagination is truly splendid."_

Minato froze at the words and for a moment, he thought Pharos was somewhere in the room. He looked around to see if it was that cheeky boy who had spoken but there was no sign of him anywhere.

"Who are you?" Minato asked.

_"Does it really matter? Besides, I think that question would be more appropriate for the person up ahead."_

Minato was about to inquire what the voice meant when he felt something turn his head and direct his attention towards the shower at the back of the room. He was not sure what he was supposed to be looking for and raising an eyebrow, he said, "There's no one there."

_"Oh but there is. You just need to look harder."_

Upon hearing his words, Minato took a step forward and just when he was about to give up, he saw it. A silhouette in profile against the shower glass. And not just any ordinary silhouette but one that displayed the full beauty of the female body. He tried to avert his gaze from the stunning image before him but his eyes were glued to it. Any feelings of shame or embarrassment that he should have felt was replaced by an immense desire to see who it was.

_"Go on. You do want to, don't you? Enjoy this moment. The present is all we have."_

"You, you can't force me to do anything," Minato said, aware that he was contradicting himself.

_"On the contrary, I think I can. I didn't want to have to introduce myself but you leave me no choice. I am the voice of your inner self. And I'm telling you to embrace your desire. Let it free you from your shackles. Such is my wish."_

Minato was about to reply but when the silhouette arched her back and let her tumbles of hair hang loose, the words dropped out of his mouth. It couldn't be. Those curves. Those long legs. And most importantly, that hair. Only one person could fit that description and thinking if it was really her fuelled the burning blaze in his chest even more. Entranced, he pushed forward and in a few seconds, he was right in front of the door, ready to swing it open. He could do this. If she could pose so provocatively, then who was to say he couldn't take advantage of the moment? He gripped the handle, took a deep breath and–

"No!" Minato said, bringing his hand away from the door handle as if it were a cobra. "She's my comrade. I can't do that to her. We're only friends, nothing more."

_"Are you sure about that? You are seconds away from bliss. Isn't pleasure what you truly want?"_

"It isn't."

_"I beg to differ. I've seen the way you look at her, the way you act around her. You try to pretend you're not interested but I know you are. You care for her. You'd do anything for her. And most importantly, you want her."_

Minato stiffened as deep down, he knew it was partly true. He did like her. He did care for her. He wasn't sure if he was desperate to the point he would do anything for her but, he certainly did want her by his side. Yet in spite of the facts, he still resisted. "You're lying. I admit that recently, she's been on my mind more often than not but that doesn't prove anything."

_"Is that so? Well then, why don't we see what she thinks!"_

Voices erupted in his mind and the pain that followed felt like being hit in the head by a hammer. Minato fell to his knees, clutching his head as the noise rattled his skull. His so-called 'inner self' was mad. If he himself didn't know what she thought of him, then how could something claiming to be his conscience show him what she thought? Minato continued to hold his head but refrained from doing so once he felt something warm and fuzzy course through his veins. It made him confident, then happy, then elated. He never knew such joy was possible until he realised what it was.

Mitsuru's feelings.

They were filled with so much interest, so much warmth, so much passion that at first, Minato dismissed it. For her to feel that way was wrong and irrational because he knew who and what Mitsuru was. An elegant woman with leadership and combat capabilities that matched, and to some extent, surpassed his own. Not some young, immature girl who daydreamed of kissing the cutest boy she could lay her hands on.

"This isn't Mitsuru-senpai," Minato said through gritted teeth.

_"Why do you seem so sure? Isn't it wonderful that she's taken a liking to you? It's what you want no?" _When Minato did not reply, the voice continued, _"Hmm. It seems you still need convincing. In that case, how about this!"_

Minato grunted at another blow that hammered his mind. Instead of drowning from a wave of voices however, visions of past happenings between him and Mitsuru played before his eyes. The way she brightened up whenever they passed each other in the dorm or at school. The worried, concerned look on her face when he was in that limousine, telling her of the whispers his Personas spoke. The enjoyment they shared in correcting each other's swordplay whenever they fought together in Tartarus, the irresistible smile she conjured when he comforted her the other day, the hug they shared when...

He could not grasp that last vision for more continued to assault him. He knew there had to be a finite amount of them but they kept on coming like the way rain falls endlessly on a miserable day. Every vision made her affection grow and the weight of it crushed him, compressed him, until the only thing he could think about was her desire for him.

_"See, you cannot deny it. She thinks of you the same way you do for her. It's meant to be. You know it is."_

"LIES!" Minato bellowed. It hurt to shout when his mind was being spun into oblivion though he knew it was the only way to keep his sanity. "They're...all...lies!"

_"Don't deny your instincts. Don't avert your eyes from the truth. Just embrace it."_

Another vision was thrust upon him and now he was in her embrace during their previous operation staring into those beautiful red eyes that shone with a loving concern, hearing her thoughts echo in his mind, and feeling the sensation of her emotions flow through him.

Innocent interest.

Fiery lust.

It all enveloped him in a bubble of intoxication that intensified when his own memories of her slipped in. Her sweet yet spicy scent that he picked up as she led him to the command room for the first time. Her radiance of serenity and elegance as she stood by the door to his homeroom. Her curvaceous figure that became even more so in that biker gear. It was too much and as his eyes returned to the silhouette behind the shower door, his resistance crumbled.

_"There you go. There's no need to resist. You want her. And she wants you."_

Yes, he did want this. He wanted to hear her speak French in that sexy voice. He wanted to run his hands through her gorgeous tumbles of red hair. He wanted to feel her soft, smooth skin against his.

He wanted her.

He needed her.

So why was he waiting? She liked him too didn't she? Those thoughts of hers? They were the truth. They had to be the truth. Mitsuru never lied. He cringed, feeling his mental walls break down. He did not understand why he continued to fight. He wanted this. She wanted this. And yet, it seemed wrong.

Then the shower stopped.

The absence of rushing water startled Minato and for a split second, he felt as if he really was at peace in the Amazon. The struggle between to take her or to not had suspended and his 'inner self' seemed to have retreated. Using the edge of the sink to stand once more, he watched as the silhouette retrieved the towel hanging on the shower window, wrapped it around herself, and opened the door.

"Ooh, Minato," Mitsuru giggled, twirling her hair. Even with only a towel wrapped around her, she was breathtaking, with a light blush on her cheeks and a smile he knew all too well. "I had no idea you were waiting for me." She giggled again. "If you want, we could hop back in there. I'd love to see the real you."

She raised her arm and beckoned for him to take it. Minato's eyes never broke contact from hers and he automatically reached for her hand.

Then he stopped.

_"What's the matter? Are you scared? You know, the first time is always a little scary. But don't worry. Just let your instincts guide you."_

Minato blinked. The voice. There was something different about it. It sounded unlike before.

"My instincts?" he asked.

_"Why yes. And what better time to rely on them than now? The girl of your dreams, standing before you, willing and ready. The least you can do is satisfy her no?"_

It was as he suspected. The voice was different. Not in the sense that it had changed tone but the way he could hear it louder in his right ear than his left. He turned away from Mitsuru's mischievous eyes (which was harder than he anticipated), backed up a few paces, and looked at the steam coated mirror. It was blurry but amid all the steam, stood his reflection.

Except it wasn't his reflection at all. Yes it had the same cobalt blue hair that covered his right eye, was wearing the same Gekkoukan High boys' uniform, and had the same set of headphones and MP3 player hanging around his neck. But as the steam cleared he noticed that his reflection's eyes were dark yellow, unlike his own cool grey, and the skin of its face was shadowy and twisted.

Which could only mean one thing.

"Oh I would satisfy her...if she were REAL!" Minato spat, his voice quivering with rage.

_"What are you talking about?" _his reflection replied. _"The Mitsuru before you is the real deal."_

"If you really think that, then you don't know anything about her at all."

_"And I suppose you do? That's big talk coming from a person who thought the bathroom was a rainforest. Why does it matter anyway? She wants you and only you. Isn't that enough?"_

Minato shot another glance at 'Mitsuru?', who didn't look annoyed in the slightest despite the fact she had been ignored and denied the opportunity for ultimate satisfaction. And upon meeting her eyes, he came to realize that even if she really threw herself at him like this, it would be meaningless. Because he wanted more than just being able to make love with her. He wanted to know Mitsuru for who she was, quirks and all. What made her laugh, what made her cry, what made her happy. Taking her now was a temporary cure that would only serve to destroy his chance at a genuine relationship. _So..._

"No, it's not enough," Minato said, returning his attention to the mirror. "Besides, you got her all wrong."

_"How so? Perhaps she does giggle and twirl her hair when she's in love," _his reflection said.

"Perhaps. But there's one thing you forgot to account for. She has never called me by my first name!"

Minato lashed out at the mirror as he shouted those words and felt the surge of his Personas respond to the intruder in his mind. His reflection gaped in shock before being smashed into nothingness and as the mirror cracked, bent and shattered, so did his mind. The mental maelstrom wiped out all his thoughts and the only thing he knew after that was–

* * *

–a mind shredding migraine. The pain's rhythmic throbbing was enough to make him stir and as he opened his eyes, his sense of reality returned. He heard the hum of the air conditioning, saw the lighting's purple-pink hue, felt his head on a fluffy pillow and his body on a soft mattress, smelt apple scented shampoo and–

Apple scented shampoo? Again? He was in the love hotel in Shirakawa Boulevard. Not chasing the illusions that the second Shadow had created in his mind. He stared at the ceiling, frowning at how the scent could be so strong and refreshing, and trying to figure out how there was a reflection of himself staring right back. _There's a mirror up there, idiot. _But why did he look funny? Minato blinked several times and once he felt his eyes focusing, he looked back at the ceiling mirror.

And saw that there was someone lying on his bare chest. For a moment, he thought the Shadow was toying with him yet again but upon feeling something soft on top of him, he knew it was not the case. He averted his eyes from the mirror that made him dizzy and directed them downwards to see luscious curls of dark red hair. He blinked again and again to ensure that he was not hallucinating and after the eighth time, his pulse quickened.

Mitsuru.

Lying on top of his bare body.

In a hotel room that encouraged such acts.

Just imagining it was already preposterous enough so realizing that it was actually happening sent him into a state of arousal he didn't think he could return from. Feeling her soft and smooth as silk skin on his. Inhaling the refreshing aroma of apple mints from her hair. Admiring her sexy, black lace lingerie that brought out her curves. It all reminded him of how enticing she was in his mind and how much he wanted to take her.

But, this was not an illusion, not a place where he could do whatever he wanted. This was reality. And he knew that if he did take her, there would be dire consequences, probably involving his exile from S.E.E.S., if not his death. He severed the thought. He already promised himself he'd rather a relationship with her than a one night stand and with that in mind, he gently pushed her off him so that he could figure out where they were and how they could end this Shadow.

As soon as he did so however, Mitsuru stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Minato didn't think she would wake so quickly and caught by surprise, he could only watch as she took in her surroundings.

"Where am I?" Mitsuru asked the empty air before looking at herself. "And why am I wearing _this_?" She turned around and as her eyes fell onto a bare-chested Minato, she immediately blushed and pulled the sheets to cover her chest. "Wha-? Arisato?! Have you been here this whole time?"

"I have," Minato replied, trying not to think about how that blush made her look even cuter. He swallowed hard and then raised a hand. "But before you jump to any conclusions, this is not what it looks like." When Mitsuru raised an eyebrow and gave him a rather cold stare, he continued, "This is probably going to come out wrong but believe me, I didn't do anything to make you...get into bed with me."

"Wh-What makes you th-think I should believe you?" Mitsuru said, still blushing furiously and holding onto the sheets the way someone would hold onto the edge of a cliff.

Minato looked around the room to avoid her eyes and thought as hard as his headache would allow. Then he returned his attention to her. "I honestly can't say since I don't remember anything between falling for that ambush and waking up here. But I swear on my life nothing happened." He held Mitsuru's inspective gaze and after a minute or two, decided to say something when she spoke.

"Okay. I believe you," Mitsuru said, loosening her grip on the sheets.

"R-Really?"

Mitsuru nodded. "Not believing your theory regarding those Shadows almost cost me my life. If I were to not believe you now, I fear it would cost us our friendship. And I can't allow that to happen, not when Iori is already so moody. Anyway, we had better–" She cut off and gasped.

Minato was unsure of what concerned her so until he felt an ebbing pain in his fingers. He looked at his right hand and saw that it was bloodied all over with multiple cuts. _So I did lash out at the mirror. Great, now I won't be able to use my saber. _

"What happened?" Mitsuru asked.

"I must have punched something," Minato replied, before cringing as a stab of pain shot through his hand.

Mitsuru let go of the sheets and to his surprise, edged towards him. She then took his hand and inspected it. "This looks bad." She looked around, spotted the bathroom a few paces away from her side of the bed and stood up. "Come on, we'll need to wash it before it gets infected."

Before Minato could object and tell her he was perfectly capable of taking care of his hand, he was up and following her into the bathroom. Which of course, looked exactly like the one in the Shadow's illusion. It had the same set of tiles lining the walls and floor, the same shower at the far end (thankfully with no silhouette), and the same cracked mirror above a pair of sinks with heart shaped handles. The familiarity of it all irked him and seeing Mitsuru suddenly blush upon noticing the bathroom's appearance made him narrow his eyes. Was it possible that she had been in that illusion? As the 'fake' Mitsuru? Considering the level of realism the Shadow had managed to imbue the illusion with, Minato thought it was likely. _But if that's true, then why was she acting strange and calling me by my first name? She never does that and Akihiko is the only person she–_

A stream of warm water splashed onto his injured hand. Minato flinched as pain erupted from the multiple cuts but as soon as he tried to pull away, Mitsuru grabbed his arm.

"It'll hurt less if you hold still," she said, bringing his hand back under the running water.

Knowing he would lose the argument, Minato bit his tongue to keep himself from retorting and let her tend to his hand. The pain fluctuated as she worked her way through cleansing each individual cut, then subsided once she wrapped a gauze bandage she'd found in one of the cupboards around his hand. He was impressed.

"That should do it," she said. "Is it still painful?"

"A little, but I'll manage," he replied. "Thanks. You're quite the nurse, you know that?"

Mitsuru folded her arms and gave him a small smile. "Well, I've done something like this before for...a friend many years ago. It isn't something you forget, and with someone like Akihiko around, I've had plenty of practice. I'm not sure if nurse is the right word, since I don't have a uniform or..." She trailed off and looked away from him for a moment, bright shades of pink creeping into her cheeks. "U-Um, Arisato? Y-You wouldn't h-happen to know wh-where our clothes are w-would you?"

Minato was confused. Then, as his eyes darted from her chest, then to her toned midriff, then to the fishnet stockings that wrapped her shapely legs, it hit him. He flushed and quickly turned his back to her. "I, uh, think they should be outside? Let me have a look."

He exited the bathroom and shaking the sexy image of her out of his head, took a good look at the room they were in. Unsurprisingly, it was a luxury suite. In front of him, elaborate drapes hung across the window overlooking the bed and to his left, there was a doorway leading to an adjoining lounge. A pink door (with a heart shaped handle) stood beside it and thinking that the wardrobe was where their clothes decided to hide, Minato moved to push it open.

Greeting him under neon purple lights however, was not their clothes but instead, a long line of coat hangers which held an assortment of intimate apparel. Ignoring the fact that Mitsuru had probably found her outfit here, he went deeper into the wardrobe. More lingerie and hosiery? Check. French maid and policewoman costumes? Check. Their school uniforms? Nope. Minato sighed. If their clothes weren't in the wardrobe, then where were they? Much like his throbbing headache, the question continued to linger as he returned to the bedroom. Shutting the wardrobe door, he turned to find Mitsuru wearing a bathrobe and standing by the doorway to the lounge. She was more composed than before but as she peered into the lounge, a look of embarrassment and disgust crossed her face.

"Well, our clothes aren't in the wardrobe," Minato said. "Are you alright? You look pale."

"Oh I'm fine," Mitsuru said, giving him a sidelong glance. "It's just that, well, I wish they really were in the wardrobe." She gestured for him to look at the lounge and what Minato saw made him even more conflicted about what happened after he fell unconscious.

His white shirt. Her white blouse. His black pants. Her knee-length skirt. His school shoes. Her leather boots. His headphones and MP3 player. Her red ribbon. It was all scattered everywhere, as if some pirate had ravaged the room in search for buried treasure. Their clothes lay on the floor, on the sofa, and even hung from the top of the flat-screen television. How Mitsuru's undergarments had ended up over there was perplexing to no end and as much as he wanted to forget seeing it, Minato knew it was impossible. Hell, forgetting everything he was seeing right now was impossible.

"This is..." Minato said. He was completely loss for words.

"I know," Mitsuru said. "It's as if you and I..." She trailed off and cast her eyes away from the disturbing scene.

Minato took a deep breath. Let it out. Then looked Mitsuru in the eye. "We better regroup with the others soon. If that Shadow can agitate both of us like this, then Yukari and the others could be in serious trouble."

Mitsuru nodded. "But before we do, can I ask for a favor?"

"Sure."

"Please don't speak of this to the others. Just thinking about it is already so embarrassing, I don't think I can handle talking about it as well."

"Don't worry," Minato said, giving her the most reassuring smile he could conjure. "I won't."

They then went around the room to retrieve their clothing, trying their best to ignore what the situation looked like. Mitsuru left for the bedroom to change shortly after doing so and while waiting, Minato collected their Evokers off the glass table in front of the television, and the rapier that leaned against a wall near the entrance. Gripping Mitsuru's rapier reminded him of his own saber and it saddened him that he no longer had the weapon. Oh there was nothing wrong with using an Evoker to fight off Shadows but it didn't come with the same satisfaction a blade could bring.

Mitsuru seemed to understand this and as they exited the room to search for the others, she prudently avoided talking about it. In fact, she avoided talking to him altogether unless it was related to finding the others. While the silence was comforting, it felt unnatural to Minato because whenever they were together like this in Tartarus, there was always something to discuss. Student Council affairs, elements of correct swordplay or even just how he was finding his subjects. There was always something that kept the monotony of walking through hallways interesting.

Now that there was nothing, a part of his mind panicked and thought that because he had seen her partially naked and in provocative attire, their friendship was over. Done and dusted. Minato would not blame her if that was true but he knew Mitsuru was better than that. She was smart enough to know everything that happened back there was all the work of the Shadow. She believed him that nothing happened between them. _But even so, why? Why does she still look so distressed and uncomfortable? _The answer continued to elude him as they proceeded through more corridors and when they ascended the flight of stairs leading back to the floor they were ambushed, he decided he would ask her. Just as the words formed in his head though, ready for deployment, there was a voice that made him forget what he wanted to say.

"There you are!"

Minato and Mitsuru turned to find Akihiko and Yukari approaching them. While they were relatively unharmed, they both had a similar troubled expression.

"Are you two alright?" Akihiko asked.

Minato exchanged a glance with Mitsuru whose eyes told him 'Please don't say anything about _us_'. Then he turned his attention to Akihiko. "We're fine. Although, my hand has seen better days." He raised his right hand that was wrapped in bandages and shot Mitsuru another glance. Her reply: 'Thank you'.

"What happened? Did you punch something?" Yukari asked, stepping forward, Evoker in hand.

"I don't really remember what it was but I must have," Minato said. He gestured at her Evoker. "You don't need to heal it though. Better you save your energy for the next fight." When Yukari raised an eyebrow, he continued, "There's a second Shadow. It was the one responsible for the ambush that separated us."

Akihiko folded his arms and grimaced. "So that's what the dark pulse back in that room was. Man, how could we have fallen for that?"

"Well it was kind of inevitable since we were locked in that room" Yukari said. She holstered her Evoker. "Then again, it was Stupei's idea to charge in. Geez, why does he have to be so thick headed?"

"Maybe you should ask him," said a voice.

Yukari gasped and turned around to find Junpei, staggering towards them with a ripped shirt, grazes on his arms and face, and a katana that dripped Shadow blood.

"Junpei, I–" Yukari started before stopping as Junpei raised a hand.

"Isn't it 'Stupei', Yuka-tan?" Junpei said. When Yukari remained silent, he continued, "You know what, call me whatever you like. I don't give a damn anymore."

"Where have you been?" Akihiko asked.

Junpei shouldered his katana and snorted. "I was in the laundry. It took me a while to get my bearings straight and when I did, I heard shouts. I thought it was one of you guys but instead, half a dozen of those stupid pieces of shit jumped at me."

"Half a dozen?" Minato repeated. He was impressed. Though with the way Junpei swung his katana in wide, sweeping arcs, he supposed something was bound to get hit.

"Yeah. Why, you thought I couldn't handle it?"

"I didn't say that. It's just that we haven't encountered any Shadows since we regrouped."

"Seriously? I bust my ass off trying to survive and you say you haven't seen any Shadows?" Junpei sighed. "Well I guess I can't expect anything less. Shadows cower and scram from our _leader _after all."

Minato took a step towards him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh I think you know what it means," Junpei said. He tilted his head to the side. "By the way, why do you smell like apple?"

Minato stiffened and he felt Mitsuru do the same. He didn't have to see her eyes but he knew that they were telling him to change the topic as soon as possible.

"How is that even important right now?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. After what the Shadow had done to him, as well as the faint ebbs of pain that emanated from his headache and hand injury, it was exceptionally difficult. Feeling his Personas vehemently swirl in his mind was not helping either.

"So something did happen. I knew it," Junpei said. "You're just one lucky bastard aren't ya?"

"Alright, that's enough," Akihiko said, stepping in between them before Minato could respond. "This isn't the time or place for arguments. If you two want to butt heads, go do it sometime later. Right now, we have a Shadow to track down."

Junpei looked at Akihiko and held his hard gaze for a moment. Then he turned away and scoffed. "Fine. Do you know where it is?"

"_Um, I do,_" Fuuka said suddenly, causing everyone to flinch.

"F-Fuuka?" Yukari said. "Have you been listening in on us this whole time?"

"_Y-Yes. I was going to say something before but, well, when Minato and Junpei started arguing, I didn't really know if it was the right time to speak up._"

"Don't worry about it," Minato said. "We're done for the time being so go ahead and tell us what you know."

"_O-Okay. The Shadow's in the same room as the previous one. What I was going to tell you before losing contact was that there's a seal on the door. To break it, you have to break the mirrors that give off the same energy as the Shadow. I'll try to narrow it down but hopefully you'll notice something too,_" Fuuka said.

Minato looked to the others who nodded in understanding. "Alright then. Let's finish this."

They set off again following Fuuka's directions, all the while checking every door they came across just in case she had missed something. Every few doors or so, Shadows burst out and armed only with his Evoker, Minato left the fighting to the others. Watching them take out waves of Shadows without him wasn't something he enjoyed but, with the narrow corridors and doorways creating a bottleneck that forced them to fight in single file, he knew joining in would just slow them down. And waste his energy. So instead, he opted to keep track of which doors they had searched and watch for any Shadows that might ambush them from behind. It was tedious but Minato figured it would at least give Junpei the opportunity to be the 'leader' again. And keeping him satisfied was one less thing to worry about. He hoped it was anyway.

As Minato waited for their search of the final door on this floor to conclude, he noticed Mitsuru hadn't gone in with the others. She still looked troubled and when he approached, she sighed.

"Some operation this is huh?" Minato said, leaning against the wall.

"It's more strenuous than I had anticipated," Mitsuru replied. She lowered her rapier and looked at him. "Arisato, I...I apologize for not speaking up back there. It's still hard for me to come to terms with what happened in that room so if I had said anything, I felt it may have led the others to believe something did happen."

"It's okay. If it helps, I'm having a hard time accepting what happened as well." He gave her a small smile. "Besides, I don't think Akihiko-senpai or Yukari suspect anything. Especially since they looked to be hiding something themselves."

"That's true. But what about Iori?"

Minato turned his gaze on the wall in front of him. "He can think what he likes. Either way, it's none of his business."

Mitsuru's expression softened but just as she was about to speak, the others emerged from the room and Fuuka's voice echoed in their heads.

"_I can confirm that the seal on the door is broken. You should be able to fight the Shadow now,_" she said.

"It's about time," Akihiko said, grinning. He turned to Minato. "You going to be alright taking the lead?"

"I'll manage," Minato replied, meeting his gaze before looking at all of them. "This time though, let's do it properly."

They then returned to the room where they were ambushed. As he stood in front of the door, a familiar feeling pulsed through Minato, and the wispy whispers that occupied his mind the moment he entered the hotel returned to taunt him. Ignoring them and his throbbing head, he motioned the others to get ready and placed his left hand on the heart shaped handle. Then he twisted it and pushed the door open.

Immediately after entering, the sickening blend of scents from before assailed them like a rain of invisible arrows. Minato took care not to breathe deeply and grabbing his Evoker, he went forward into the murky purple-pink glow. He passed the dreadful maroon drapes that covered the window looking out to the streets below, passed the numerous couches and mirrors that seemed to be everywhere in the room, and passed the wardrobe full of naughty outfits to arrive at a huge, circular waterbed.

Hovering above that bed with its angel wings and basking in its own glory of being a mutated heart shaped piece of jelly, was their target. Golden spikes stood from its shoulders and on its torso was the male and female symbols intertwined with each other. The Shadow stared at them and even though the mannequin mask that was its face had no expression, it may as well have been smirking and laughing.

_"Why hello Amazon boy. It's a shame that it had to come to this." _

Minato noticed the others had drawn their weapons and Evokers, all looking very annoyed. So it was true. The Shadow spoke to them as well. Realizing it made him curious as to what it could have possibly shown Mitsuru but he cut the thought as the Shadow continued to speak.

_"Seriously a real shame. I give you the opportunity to have sex with the girl you lust for. And you instead come and find me? I don't know how much more stupid you can get."_

Fuelled with blazing anger at how the Shadow had almost ended their relationships, Minato drew his Evoker and raised it to his temple.

Then the room flashed a brilliant blue as the gateway to his psyche opened.

Personas poured out of his mind like the unending torrent of a waterfall, clashing with the Shadow alongside his friends'. And as many that were lost, Minato kept the stream flowing and fused even more. He pulled them out of his psyche, pushed them together, and sent them charging at the Shadow. He could hear in his mind that the Shadow was in pain but it still continued to laugh. Minato did not know why until something zoomed across his eyes. He turned in the direction it had come from and felt his stomach drop.

At the far right of the room was Yukari, bow in hand with an arrow nocked. It appeared as if she were to fire it at the Shadow but, upon looking at her eyes and seeing them burn with an immense hatred, Minato realized the Shadow was not her target. He was not her target either.

_Oh shit._

Before Yukari let the arrow loose, Minato dropped his Evoker and ran, hearing Fuuka shout in his mind what he figured out seconds ago. He could see the others breaking eye contact from the Shadow to search for Yukari but there was no time for them to react. The arrow was already on its way. And Minato had seen that look on Yukari's face one too many times. He knew who her target was.

He tackled Mitsuru to the ground, feeling something heavy hit him in the back of his left shoulder like a punch. She looked at him as if he had gone mad but when her eyes darted from his to the arrow's shaft protruding from his back, she immediately paled.

Yukari's arrow had impaled him.

"I...made...it," Minato said before crying out as pain exploded across his body. He then rolled off her and onto his right arm, feeling his shirt swell with blood and whatever strength he had left fade away.

"Akihiko, Iori, cover me! And watch out for Takeba!" Mitsuru shouted as she held Minato steady and whipped out her Evoker.

They both glanced in their direction for a second, saw the situation, and directed their Personas to shield them from Yukari's attacks. Seeing as they could handle it for the time being, Mitsuru turned her attention on Minato and summoned Penthesilea.

"You'll be okay. I promise you'll be okay!" Mitsuru said, instructing Penthesilea to place her hands near the wound.

A mint green glow enveloped the Persona's hands and the familiar cooling sensation pulsed around his injury. Minato welcomed it with open arms but knew it wasn't enough. The pain had already taken hold of him and dragged him into the realm of unconsciousness once more; a place where Mitsuru's pleas faded to nothing, her touch faded to nothing, and his sense of the world faded to nothing.

* * *

_Drifting._

_ Endless drifting._

_ Until..._

* * *

A door opened.

White light pierced his eyes and Minato felt himself being drawn towards it like a moth. It soon died down to reveal a familiar room. One that was painted deep blue and imitated an elevator.

"Why hello again," a familiar voice said.

Minato looked to where the voice had emanated from. And sure enough, sitting on the opposite side of a table which housed an assortment of tarot cards, was Igor. The old man eye's were still as bloodshot as ever and he still rested his chin on his clasped hands, as if the time between this visit and Minato's previous had been a mere minute apart.

_The Velvet Room? How? And..._

"Why am I here?" Minato asked. He blinked. There was no pain in his body. He shot a glance at his right hand, and then at his left shoulder. Both were void of the injuries he'd sustained back in the hotel. _Does this mean I'm dead? Or was Mitsuru successful in healing me?_

"Well my dear guest," Igor said, unmoving from his position, "that is something you should ask Elizabeth."

The room flashed white again and Minato noticed Elizabeth was now standing beside Igor. _Where did she come from?_

"Ah, there you are Minato-sama," Elizabeth said. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting but I had to make sure you were ready."

"Ready? For what?" Minato said.

"Hmm. How should I put this in words you'll understand?" Elizabeth creased her brow before coming to a light-bulb-flashing-over-her-head moment. "Ah yes. You will now be ready to unleash a new part of your potential."

"What do you mean?"

"We've been observing you use your Persona fusion skills," Igor said. "And seeing as you have mastered the Normal Spread, Elizabeth and I would like to provide you with a new form of assistance: the Triangle Spread. Henceforth, you will now be able to fuse three Personas, something that I'm certain will benefit you greatly. Now then, you must make haste for your friends need you. Until we meet again."

The flashes of light began to increase in tempo. The wisps of his Personas' existence twisted and coiled, their voices calling him to rise. And before Minato could speak the many questions on his mind, darkness greeted him and threw him back to reality.

* * *

"Can you hear me? Please Arisato, say something!"

Minato awoke, feeling as if someone had drenched him with a bucket of cold water. He gasped and opening his eyes, found himself propped up against a wall; Mitsuru and Penthesilea kneeling beside him. The Persona's hands were still pressed around his wound (which fortunately, was not spouting blood) and judging from how weary Mitsuru looked, he figured the healing must have been going on for a while.

"Mi...tsuru...senpai," Minato managed to say. The pain had lessened but he could still feel it throbbing.

"Oh thank goodness," Mitsuru said, breathing deeply. "I feared I was too late."

He gave her a slight smile before looking over her shoulder to see Akihiko and Junpei, who had taken a beating in defending them from the Shadow and Yukari's onslaught. They were still on their feet but Minato knew that it would not be long before the fight was over and the Shadow would turn to them. He grimaced, annoyed that after all the chaos of tonight, they were unable to finish the job. _There has to be something that we can do. But what? Mitsuru-senpai is too tired and I'm..._

_...ready to unleash a new part of my potential._

The memory of Elizabeth's words hit him. He looked towards the battle again and all at once, everything coalesced. With great effort, he leaned forward, startling Mitsuru.

"Arisato? What are you doing?" she asked.

"Your...Evoker," Minato said. "I know...how to end...this."

Mitsuru looked at him skeptically but seeing he was serious, she dismissed Pentheselia and passed her Evoker to him. Ignoring the dull pain in his right hand, Minato took it. Raised it. And squeezed the trigger.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

The sea of his soul shuddered each time and when all Personas were present, he pushed them together with his mind. Emerging from the white glitter was a long, blonde haired muse, dressed in a revealing purple gown. She glided across the room, evading the Shadow's tongues of fire, before firing off a pink beam.

At Yukari.

Thinking it harmless, Yukari made no effort to defend herself and instead nocked another arrow. The beam struck her as she did so and at first glance, it appeared to have no effect. Upon seeing her still standing, Junpei shot a quizzical look at Minato.

"Dude! That didn't do shit!" Junpei yelled. He turned back to the battle and was about to take evasive maneuvers when Akihiko held up a hand.

"Wait Junpei!" Akihiko said. "Look closer. Takeba's eyes. They're different now."

Junpei squinted and saw that they really were. The intense glare of hatred had reverted to a neutral look. "Well I'll be damned. _He_ did it again."

"Takeba!" Akihiko said, leaping away from the Shadow's attack. "We need healing. Now!"

Yukari blinked a few times and slowly lowered her bow, confused by the sounds and smells of the room. Then she heard Akihiko. Saw him and Junpei, exhausted. Looked across the room to see Mitsuru beside an injured Minato. And finally realizing where she was and what she was doing, she seized her Evoker and brought it to her forehead. Just as her finger curled around the trigger, the Shadow attacked. A ball of fire was hurled towards her and occupied with summoning her Persona, Yukari was frozen in place.

Junpei cursed, raising his own Evoker in hope of having Hermes get there in time.

Akihiko yelled as he dashed to push her out of the way.

And Minato heard a gunshot. Looking to his right, he saw Mitsuru lower her Evoker and put a hand to her side. She was breathing heavily and on the verge of collapsing; having Penthesilea take the hit meant for Yukari had weakened her. Greatly. Using the last of his energy, Minato pushed himself to his feet. He winced at the stabbing pain but managed to hold Mitsuru steady with his good arm.

"Yukari! Now's your chance!" he shouted.

Yukari wasted no time and called Io. The Persona appeared above her and placing its hands together, cast a bright green pulse that emanated throughout the room. Minato felt it fight back the ache in his shoulder and saw Akihiko and Junpei regain some of their energy.

"Good job Takeba," Akihiko said, smiling as he readied his Evoker. "Alright, let's go!"

More gunshots erupted as Hermes and Io joined Polydeuces in one last assault. Charging towards the Shadow, they unleashed a barrage of attacks. Unable to block them all and weakened from all the damage it had sustained, the Shadow was quickly overwhelmed. Bashed and slashed, it then released a high pitched scream that shattered the mirrors before finally exploding in a mess of black and pink.

For a while, nobody said a word and remained where they were. Minato wasn't sure if silence after a battle was going to be customary but a fresh jab of pain pulled him away from his thoughts. He let go of Mitsuru, fell to his knees and grunted, breaking the silence that had entranced everyone.

"Arisato!" Mitsuru said, kneeling beside him. She reached for her Evoker, then stopped as Minato shook his head.

"Don't tire yourself," he said, watching the others approach. He cringed. "I'll be alright."

Mitsuru pursed her lips but before she could scold him for being so stubborn, someone gasped. She looked to the others and saw that Yukari had a hand over her mouth.

"Minato? Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she said, her face paling as she saw his blood soaked shirt and the arrow that was lodged into him. "I...I...I wasn't myself, you have to know that and...and–" She cut off as she wiped the tears that began to form.

"It's okay," Minato said. "The Shadow was controlling you. It's not your fault. Besides, better for it to hit me than kill Mitsuru-senpai."

Yukari's eyes widened. "Wait. I was aiming for..." She trailed off and met Mitsuru's gaze. To her surprise, it wasn't at all hostile.

"Yes, you were aiming for me," Mitsuru said. "If it weren't for Arisato, I'd likely be dead. But you can't blame yourself. You had no idea what you were doing."

"B-But I..."

"Let it go Takeba," Akihiko said. "We've all forgiven you already so there's no hard feelings."

Yukari looked at Akihiko, then to Minato. "If you say so."

Gazing into her eyes, Minato could see she was still very distressed. Perhaps traumatized even. As Akihiko helped him to his feet however, he heard a cough that reminded him she wasn't the only one with a problem tonight.

"So we're all good now are we?" Junpei asked sarcastically.

Everyone turned to see Junpei with a dissatisfied look on his face. Minato couldn't believe it. Considering everyone's physical and mental states, not to mention Akihiko's warning earlier, he assumed that by now his classmate would have dropped whatever he was annoyed at. Bottled it up. Saved it for another day. He supposed Junpei's tenacity was admirable but this time, it just served to create even more unnecessary squabbles.

"Iori, what are you getting at?" Mitsuru said with a sharp look.

"Y-Yeah Junpei. Can't you see he's badly hurt?" Yukari said, turning to face him.

Junpei ignored them both and strode towards Minato. "So, you're the hero again huh?"

"I'm not claiming to be anything," Minato said. "Each of us played a part in this operation. Maybe it didn't go the way we wanted it to go but we're still alive. Isn't that good enough for you?"

Junpei held Minato's gaze. Then he brought his cap down over his eyes and turned around. "To you maybe. But not to me." He then walked out of the room.

Minato and the others soon followed suit. As they made their way through the corridors and down the several flights of stairs to the hotel lobby, his thoughts wandered across the many realms of tonight's happenings; Junpei's arrogance, Yukari's brainwashing, his injury that would likely have adverse and permanent consequences. As much of an issue they all were though, none could match the puzzle that was Mitsuru's feelings.

Those thoughts of hers that he felt running through his veins before made his mind spin in a spiral of emotions. It was ecstatic and frightening, wonderful and deplorable, so real and yet so fake. He knew there was no reason to think that Mitsuru harbored feelings towards him because the Shadow's visions had to be an illusion. But no matter how much he convinced himself of this, he just could not let his curiosity go. What if the Shadow really was right? What if Mitsuru really did feel something? Judging from how she'd been acting lately, there was a chance it could be true. Yet a chance was just a possibility, and within possibility lived doubt. And when faced with doubt, Minato knew the only cure for this suffering was to approach Mitsuru and simply–

_Ask her._

* * *

"That was quite the show."

On the roof of a building opposite the love hotel, stood Takaya. He watched in amusement at the five small figures that were the members of S.E.E.S. trudge along the sidewalk to the long black vehicle parked a few blocks down.

"Your thoughts Jin?" Takaya asked.

"They're dangerous, but they have their weaknesses," Jin said. He was sitting on the floor with his laptop in his lap and didn't look up when speaking. "Without Kirijo's leadership and Arisato's unique skill set, they would be severely lost on how to handle things."

Upon hearing 'Arisato', Takaya burst into raucous laughter.

"What's so funny?" Jin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Look down at _him_ and you'll see," Takaya said.

Jin strode over to the edge of the roof and squinted at the five figures. Then his eyes locked onto the one with the unnatural blue hair. And noticed the blood soaked shirt. "He's injured?"

"Indeed. Quite badly too from the looks of it," Takaya said. "That must explain the lull in the power surge." He took a breath. "What an interesting turn of events."

"You want to greet them now and be done with it?"

Takaya let Jin's words flow through one ear before shooting them out the other. They were the enemy, yes, but with the only formidable opponent disabled from his full potential, Takaya knew it would not be fair. And it wasn't just that too. He was intrigued by Arisato's powers. How the boy could pull more than one from his psyche. How the boy could push them together to form greater ones. Thinking about seeing it in action before his very eyes was enough to send a rush of excitement down his spine.

"No, we will give them our warm welcome come the next full moon," he said. "Besides, there is no fun in taking out crippled sheep. Let them have a chance. No matter how small it is."

His laughter resounded into the depths of the heated night.


	21. Green

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! Before I talk about it, I'd like to give you all a heads up that future updates may be a bit slower than usual because college is starting for me again. So if a long period of time passes between chapters, I apologize in advance. **

**Anyway, this chapter roughly marks the halfway point of the summer arc and is basically a mashup of all the different scenes you see with each SEES member just before Yakushima.**

** Except for a certain conflict. I don't know about you but I felt that Junpei's jealously wasn't explored enough in the game and could have been a topic for a potential Social Link. Much like Yosuke in Persona 4. So what happens here is basically my interpretation of let's say, a Social Link 6-9 scene. It's a little extreme but I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

The sun glared through the multihued afternoon sky, its rays a net of heat giving birth to long shadows of the several apartment complexes scattered around Iwatodai. For a summer day, it was actually quite cool, to the point where you could walk on the streets and not drown from a downpour of sweat. Thanks to the cooperative weather, Minato opted to make his way back to the dorm from Tatsumi Memorial Hospital with Akihiko on foot, instead of taking Mitsuru's limousine. After being locked up in a sterile environment having the arrow removed, as well as spending one hell of a night in a hotel that smelled of sex and alcohol, he needed the fresh air.

Refreshing as it was though, it was not enough to lift his spirits. Given Mitsuru's quick actions, he was lucky enough to get away with only spending three days there but not so lucky to come out unscarred. The arrow had done a fair amount of damage and while it did not render his left arm completely immobile, there was a limitation to its movement. Raising his Evoker was now impossible to do for the foreseeable future. Minato had expected as much from an injury like that but what worried him more was the consequences his disability had on the team.

How would he fight, now that he had to use his right arm for both blade and Evoker?

How would he keep their morale up, looking tired and in pain half the time?

How would he lead them, now that they had seen how reckless he could be?

The questions continued to jump around and among them, were the words he had spoken to Yukari: _Better for it to hit me than kill Mitsuru-senpai._ The words circled in his head as they came to a pedestrian crossing and thinking about it now, he wondered if he could have done something different to prevent this outcome. _No I couldn't have. The arrow was too fast. Taking the hit for her was the only thing I could've done. There's no other way she could still be alive now. _He shook his head and then noticed Akihiko was smiling.

"Speaking your thoughts aloud huh?" he asked as they waited for the lights to change. Before Minato could say something, he continued, "I remember I used to do that a lot."

"Really?" Minato said.

"Yeah. Back in the days when Mitsuru first asked me to join S.E.E.S. and taught me how to take out Shadows, sometimes I'd just say the first thing that popped into my head." Akihiko chuckled. "Most of it was just plain old teasing but she took it so seriously you couldn't help but laugh."

The lights then turned green.

"It doesn't sound like she's changed much since then," Minato said as they walked.

"She hasn't changed at all," Akihiko said, still smiling. "The way she's gotten all of you into joining S.E.E.S. is more or less the same way as how she got me into it. To tell you the truth, I was a skeptic just like Junpei. I thought she was crazy, what with handing me something that looked like a gun five minutes after meeting me."

"You didn't actually speak that thought aloud did you?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. But she was expecting it so it wasn't really a big deal. It turned out for the better anyway as she gave me a reason to fight. To keep getting stronger." He paused for a moment, thinking of how to go on without leading Minato to suspect that he was hiding something. It wasn't that he felt Minato should be kept in the dark but Mitsuru herself had instructed him to say nothing until she felt she was ready. And he intended to keep that promise. "The main thing is, don't be so worried. If anything, what you did back there just shows why you're leader. It's not about who can fight the best or who's the most well liked but, who can adapt accordingly to different situations and put others before themselves. I can't say I know what you're feeling but don't let your doubts consume you. I don't want another friend falling prey to that."

Minato let his words sink in and slowly nodded. "You're right. Thanks. I needed to hear that."

"No problem," Akihiko replied. His cell phone then rang. Reaching into his pocket, he took it out and flipped it open. "It's a text from Mitsuru. Apparently Ikutsuki has some big news he wants to tell us and we're to meet him in the control room later tonight."

_Big news?_ _What more is there to know about those Shadows? _The Chairman had already told them there were twelve and each was aligned with the first twelve Major Arcana of a standard tarot deck. His Personas also said the same thing.

"Must be that he learned more about those Shadows," Minato said.

"Hmm. Your Personas haven't been saying anything have they?" Akihiko asked, folding his arms.

"Not anything new that I know of. But I've been thinking. We're killing these Shadows to prevent more people from becoming the Lost. So what happens when we kill all of them? Does that mean it's over? And why twelve Shadows? A standard tarot deck has twenty-two Major Arcana. I mean, I'm not saying I want to fight more Shadows but isn't it strange that there aren't more?" He looked at Akihiko, who could only shrug. "I'm sorry for all the questions. Resting in the hospital has given me way too much time to think about things."

"It's alright. You have some valid points and I do agree that it's been something on my mind. Probably Mitsuru's too. I'm sure Ikutsuki will have some answers though, so make sure to fire away at him when you get the chance."

As they continued to walk, discussing how they would have to modify their jogging and boxing sessions, Minato could not keep his mind off the matter he had raised. Would everything return to normal once all the Shadows were eliminated? The Dark Hour, all the Shadows that lingered in Tartarus, and the tower itself. Would it all disappear? And what about their Personas? It seemed that they were only able to be summoned during the Dark Hour. So if the Dark Hour vanished, would the same happen to them too? He replayed the words of his Personas again in his mind.

_Moon. Shadow. Twelve. Fall. Death. _

The words were as helpful as a broken air conditioner on a scorching day. _Twelve. Why twelve? _He left the word for now and focused on the last two words. Fall meant nothing to him but Death? If memory served, Death was the thirteenth Major Arcana. Perhaps when all twelve Shadows were defeated, somebody would die? There would be another Shadow representing the Death Arcana? Minato frowned. It was just too vague and as much trust both Mitsuru and Akihiko had in his theory, he knew that even they would find these current thoughts outrageous. He sighed and rounding a corner, saw Yukari and Fuuka outside the dorm playing with a...dog? As they approached, Minato saw that it really was a dog. A white Shiba Inu with crimson eyes.

"Koro-chan, give me your paw," Fuuka said, outstretching her hand. The dog raised its arm and placed its paw on Fuuka's palm.

"Oh good dog," Yukari said, before turning to see Minato and Akihiko nearing them. She inclined her head in greeting but avoided looking at Minato.

"This dog isn't a stray is it?" Minato asked, glancing from Yukari to the dog, and then to Fuuka.

Fuuka gestured for the dog to greet the two boys. As the dog scampered towards them, she said, "No he isn't. His name's Koromaru. He used to belong to the priest at Naganaki Shrine. Every afternoon, the two of them went this way for a walk."

"I remember seeing that priest some time ago," Akihiko said, squatting to stroke Koromaru's fur. "He passed away didn't he?"

"Yeah, in a car accident. Ever since then, Koro-chan's been going on a walk every day on the route that his owner used to take him."

"That's very loyal of him," Minato said. He then proceeded to inform Yukari and Fuuka that they were to gather in the control room in a few hours.

Yukari sighed. "More news huh? Is there really anything more to know about those Shadows anyway?"

Minato exchanged a glance with Akihiko. As much as he knew she deserved to know what his current theory was, Minato decided to let the question slide. Raising the possibility of even more Shadows appearing after defeating the twelve would just freak them all out. Put them into a situation where they would think this ordeal was unending.

"Guess we'll find out soon enough," Minato said, shrugging.

Bidding farewell to Koromaru, they then entered the dorm. Upon climbing the stairs to their respective rooms, Minato wondered how long Yukari would continue to hold her guilt. The way she avoided his gaze. Spoke very little with him. Acted with a demeanor that was completely unlike her whenever he was around. He did not long for her usual self to be back (because that would lead to more bickering with Junpei), but he thought that by now, she would have attempted to get over it. Closing the door to his room, he lay on his bed and waited for the Chairman to arrive; his thoughts circulating between the issues of his classmates, full moon Shadows and Mitsuru's feelings.

* * *

Disclosing all the information regarding the operation in the love hotel to the Chairman was something Mitsuru refrained from doing. She wasn't reluctant to do so (she was, in fact, happy to elaborate on everything) but too many things had happened and there were some details that were definitely not for the Chairman's ears. Being dressed in intimate apparel. Lying on top of Minato like a lover. Seeing their clothes tossed everywhere. All of that she made sure not to speak of. Oh she did mention something about how the Shadow had mentally harassed them but that was it. Nothing about the visions she, and likely everyone else bar Junpei, saw.

Why? Because even she did not know what to make of it. Feeling Minato's intense emotions for her had clouded her mind like an impenetrable fog in the days following the operation, obscuring her thoughts and distracting her from matters she normally had complete focus on. While she knew that was only a vision the Shadow had conjured, it raised, not reduced, the amount of queries on her mind. Did Minato see the same thing she did? Would he really feel that way? What would her father think if he knew? They were all questions that for now, she could not answer with any confidence. And that bothered her.

"It was a difficult operation," Mitsuru concluded. She and the others had all once again gathered in the control room for Ikutsuki's breaking news.

"It seems the Shadows are getting tougher," Ikutsuki said. "But the important thing is that you persevered." He then directed his gaze to Minato. "I'm sorry to hear about your incident. How is your injury progressing?"

"To quote the doctors, 'quite well' apparently," Minato answered. "I was lucky in that the arrow didn't do too much damage. The only thing is, I can't raise my left arm higher than my shoulder. They can't say for certain if it's going to be permanent but I think it's safer to assume it is."

Ikutsuki smiled. "Always planning for the worst case scenario. Looks like we'll need to redesign your Evoker."

"I don't think that's necessary," Minato said, pulling out one of the spare Evokers Akihiko had passed him earlier. "I'll just use one of the spares for now. Until I know if my left arm can be used again."

"Well alright then. Anyway, I called today's meeting because–"

"Wait!" Yukari interrupted. Everyone turned to look at her and she stood up. "I'm sorry but, before we go on, I'd like to ask Mitsuru-senpai something."

_Me? _Mitsuru thought. _What could she possibly ask? _

With no objections, Yukari continued, "Since I joined, so many things have happened. I went along with it without really understanding what was going on but now, I need to know." She focused her intense gaze on Mitsuru. "You've been hiding something from us, haven't you senpai? You act like you don't know anything about the Dark Hour and Tartarus but in fact, they're related to that accident ten years ago, aren't they?"

"Accident?" Junpei asked, raising an eyebrow. "What accident?"

"There was an explosion near our school, and a lot of people died," Yukari said, keeping her eyes on Mitsuru. "It must've been big news back then. You know about it, don't you?"

Mitsuru's expression darkened. _She knows. _"Yes."

"Luckily, no students were injured, " Yukari said. "However, around the same time, a large number of students were recorded as absent. It seems like more than just a coincidence."

"What do you mean?"

"I dug up some old school records, and found something interesting. Those students who were absent? They all had to be hospitalized. Like the girls who bullied Fuuka."

Mitsuru remained silent and shifted her eyes away from Yukari's stare. She knew where this was going.

"There has to be an explanation," Yukari demanded. "What really happened on the day of that accident? The Kirijo Group built our school so you must know something. Tell me the truth!"

"I wasn't trying to hide anything from you," Mitsuru said after a few moments. "Or anyone else here. It just never seemed relevant."

_Like the visions._ She pushed aside those thoughts and glanced at Ikutsuki, whose reassuring look said: 'Might as well let them know about everything now'. She nodded and then met Yukari's eyes. Taking a deep breath, she said, "The Shadows have many mysterious abilities, with some research claiming that they can even affect time and space. There is no doubt that they are our enemies but, what if we could somehow take control of their powers? Use them for the greater good? We could certainly change the world now wouldn't we?"

She paused, allowing Yukari and the others to grasp the ideas she was putting forth. "Anyway, fourteen years ago, one man pursued that line of thinking. He was the former leader of the Group and my grandfather. Kirijo Kouetsu. Due to his obsession with Shadows and his desire to create something extraordinary, he assembled a team of scientists that over several years, collected a significant amount of Shadows. It was a rather smooth undertaking at first but in the fourth year of their experiment, they lost control of the Shadow's power. Consequently, the nature of the world was altered. By their account, the mass of Shadows they had collected split into several larger ones that then dispersed."

She glanced at Minato for a moment, the memory of that fateful day on the bridge flying past her eyes before transforming into a poor reconstruction of the Shadow's illusions. Then looked back to Yukari. "I have to admit, it's the first time I've thought about this in a while but, I think it's fair to make the connection that the Shadows we've been encountering on nights when the moon is full, are those very same Shadows."

"Hang on a second," Yukari said. "If what you said is true, then why did our school turn into Tartarus?" When Mitsuru grimaced, Yukari gasped. "Don't tell me..."

"It's as you think. Port Island must have been an ideal location for them. It was a highly populated area, and the Kirijo Group had influence there. They could easily do as they pleased."

"Then that means, all we've been doing is cleaning up their mess!? You lied to us?" Seeing Mitsuru say nothing, she turned her furious gaze to Akihiko. "You knew too, didn't you senpai? They've...no...she's just been using us! Or, do you not care as long as you get to fight?"

"That's not true," Akihiko said, meeting her gaze with a firm stare of his own. "I have my reasons for helping Mitsuru."

Yukari scoffed and then turned her attention to Minato; the traces of guilt she had for injuring him retreating into its slumbering cave. "And how about you?"

"What about me?" Minato replied, folding his arms.

"Don't play dumb with me. How are you okay with all this? Aren't you at all bothered that you're just being used?"

Mitsuru tilted her head. Why was Minato helping her? The question had surprisingly never come across her mind. She remembered he'd said something about finding the answer to his questions. But what were the questions? _Could it be that he remembers something from back then? About us? _The possibility that that was the case sparked a warm flame in her heart and she awaited his answer with much anticipation.

Minato pursed his lips, eyeing everyone whilst keeping a poker face. "Ten years ago my parents died. I've always been told it was a car accident involving some drunk driver but from what I've been able to piece together over the years, I know it can't be. What kind of accident causes an explosion when there's only one car on the road? What kind of accident has the smell of blood everywhere?" He turned to Yukari. "I've been seeking an answer for quite a while so when I was invited here by Mitsuru-senpai and consequently learned of Shadows and the Dark Hour, I thought maybe, this might be it. So to answer your question, no, I'm not bothered. If helping her allows me to find out what really happened, then by all means. I have nothing to lose anyway."

Silence filled the room; everyone speechless. _So that's what he wanted to know. The truth of his parents' death. _Upon learning this, Mitsuru was now unsure of whether to feel relieved or worried. She knew he was on her side but that could change the moment she told him what her father had told her all those years ago. And she didn't want that. Not with the team so divided.

"In any case Takeba," Mitsuru said, "you're free to think what you'd like. It was my decision not to share that information . And I'm sorry. I never intended to deceive you. Convincing you to join S.E.E.S. was my highest priority because only those with Personas can fight the Shadows." She looked off to the side. "Besides, some of us were never given a choice. I..."

"Mitsuru, don't," Akihiko said.

Mitsuru shot him a look that said 'They deserve to know' but seeing as Yukari had lost her vigor, she kept quiet.

"I think what everyone needs to understand is that those in the past are the ones to blame," Ikutsuki said. "They were too power hungry and careless and as a result, they lost their lives. It's true that none of us deserve the burden that's been thrust upon us but at the very least, we can find and destroy these Shadows. Do you know what this means?"

Everyone looked at him expectantly.

"What if I told you that those twelve Shadows are the cause of everything?" Ikutsuki continued. "What if by destroying all those Shadows, Tartarus and the Dark Hour will disappear?"

"Is that true?" Fuuka asked, leaning forward in her seat.

"Indeed it is. That's what I was going to tell you all earlier before we got sidetracked."

As the Chairman further elaborated on his findings and justifications, Mitsuru let her gaze drift towards Akihiko and Minato. There was something peculiar about the look they shared when Ikutsuki had said there was a way to be rid of Tartarus and the Dark Hour. As if the two of them knew what she was thinking, they then both gave her that same look. _Something's up. Maybe his Personas have said some more things? _She nodded lightly, signalling that she got the message, and was about to excuse them from the meeting when Junpei stood and asked Minato if he could have a quick word. Not wanting to spark another argument, she let Minato go with him and soon, they left the room.

She then glanced at Yukari, wondering how the brunette had attained such information. She knew Yukari was not the type of person to exert herself into researching, but, she also knew that there was someone here who did.

Yamagishi Fuuka.

* * *

Minato followed Junpei down the stairs. He was surprised that Junpei had the courage to single him out but satisfied that they would finally settle this matter. And although it was at a rather inconvenient time, since he wanted to let Mitsuru know about what he thought about Ikutsuki's claim, he supposed there was no rush to tell her. In fact, using the time to make amends with his classmates was probably better. He'd have a stronger case with more people convinced that Ikutsuki may have left out something. Because erasing the Tartarus and Dark Hour after defeating those twelve Shadows? It was too simple.

Once they arrived at the foyer, passing the dining table and over towards the arrangement of sofas, Junpei stopped. He faced the entrance door, and Minato waited several moments for him to do whatever it was he needed to do. Turn around. Speak. Apologize. Everything Minato was expecting however, didn't happen. _What is he waiting for? _

"Is there something you need to discuss with me?" Minato asked.

A few seconds passed. Nothing.

A minute passed. Again nothing.

Minato crossed his arms and prepared to head back to the control room. This was a waste of time. "If you have nothing to say to me, then I need to get–"

"How do you do it?" Junpei interrupted. His voice was soft but it held a tone that made Minato flinch.

"Do what?"

Junpei spun and faced him. "Do I have to spell it out for ya?" When Minato raised an eyebrow, Junpei sighed. "Come on man, tell me your secrets. How do you accept everythin' without any problems? How do you get everyone's attention? How do you get to be the hero all the time? If a somebody like you doesn't mind a nobody like me asking, I'd like to hear it."

_Jealousy huh? Doesn't look like this is going to end peacefully. _Minato held Junpei's gaze, feeling as if he were walking on extremely thin ice, and one mishap could send him tumbling into the freezing water.

"I don't try to do anything," Minato said slowly. "Things happen, and I react accordingly. That's all there is to it. No fancy tricks or anything."

"Yeah right," Junpei replied, sneering. "Things 'happen'? Please. Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying."

"Oh really? Then if things happen, why is that they always seem to benefit you?"

"What do you mean benefit me?"

"I mean this. We go to Tartarus and need a leader. Guess who it is? You! We get to use Personas to fight? That's pretty cool. But guess who gets to have more than one? That's right, you! Do you get it yet?"

Minato sighed. Was Junpei really this immature? "I get it. But you should know, having more than one Persona isn't as good as you think it is. You don't know what it's like."

"And you don't know what it's like to have only one Persona," Junpei retorted. "Face it, you think all of us are a liability and you know what? You might be right. Our power is shit compared to yours anyway. Don't you think so too? I know mine is."

"You're wrong. Nobody here is a liability. We all have our own weak points but we make up for it by fighting as a team. That fight back in the hotel? It was a _team_ effort."

"Not really. You're the one who damaged the Shadow the most. You're the one who saved Mitsuru-senpai. You're the one who got Yuka-tan back to her senses. Yeah, some team effort that is."

Minato felt his Personas stir. They writhed and protested against the mental cage that trapped them, waiting to seize the moment he let his guard down and break free. He resisted the urge to let them loose. He could not afford to lose control. Doing so would be losing the battle. His Personas whirled again, making his head throb.

It was tempting. It was so tempting. But Junpei was not an enemy. He was an ally, a comrade who was just going through some issues. Junpei's words were just that. Words. Words that, in the grand scheme of things, held little significance. Succumbing to the wishes of his Personas and attacking Junpei was something, as a leader, Minato would not do. No matter how tempting it was. Besides, what would the others think? What would his senpai think?

Minato let out another long sigh. "Look, I didn't ask for all this to happen. The transfer here? It was an arrangement made outside my influence. My Persona abilities? It just awakened the same way it did for you. And everything that has happened up till now? Nothing more than pure coincidence."

"So you say," Junpei replied. "But then I ask, why the hell does all this crap with full moon Shadows only happen the moment you arrive here?"

"I don't know. I really don't. But does it even matter? We're all here for the same reason aren't we? Helping the Chairman and Mitsuru-senpai to get rid of the Dark Hour?"

"Are we really? For all I know, you, her and Akihiko-senpai could be plannin' something else." Junpei held up a hand before Minato could interject. "Yeah, think I haven't seen you spend a ridiculous amount of time with them? You better think again. What the hell is up with you always being around those two anyway? It's like you're afraid Yuka-tan and I can't handle whatever it is you're hiding."

Minato bit his lip, the cries of his Personas crescendoing. He ignored them again and focused. Speaking of how his Personas spoke to him and had eerily predicted the full moon Shadow phenomenon was something he swore to keep a secret from his classmates because it would scare them. Make them think that he was mentally insane. But as he faced Junpei's unrelenting glare, there was no other choice.

"Fine. You want to know so badly do you?" Minato said, taking a step forward. "Then here it is. I've told senpai that my Personas have been speaking to me. And not in the normal way. They keep on repeating these five words: Moon, Shadow, Twelve, Fall, Death, in the same order. Every. Single. Time. I thought it wouldn't mean anything but with everything that's happened so far, it has to have some meaning. Not only that, I've been regularly updating them on how I'm feeling. Why? Because they're afraid I might lose control over my Persona like what happened that night on the rooftop. So there. Satisfied now?"

Junpei eyed him for a few seconds. Then he burst into laughter. "Oh that's some pretty good bullshit man. Personas speakin' to you?" He snickered. "Come on dude. You don't have to be shy. Just admit the fact that you're interested in Mitsuru-senpai. And you're using Akihiko-senpai to get closer to her."

"That's not true. You–"

"Yes it is. It's what you want. It's what every guy in the school wants. Of course, since it's you, you just get her attention without doing shit."

His mind churned violently, distorting Junpei's words. He felt the pillars of his mental cage crumble, the cracks on them forming an intricate network of rivers that expanded with every word that escaped Junpei's mouth. His control over them slipped away by the second and he knew his Personas were just waiting. Waiting for the moment that would ignite the blaze and send them into a frenzy. _I can't lose it. Not here. Not now. _

"Fighting may be my duty but it's all I'm good for," Junpei continued, speaking louder. "All this crap with Personas? It makes me feel special. If it weren't for this, I'd be worthless."

"Junpei, you're not–" Minato started but was cut off again.

"BUT OF COURSE, _you_ have to come along and make everything I do look like a joke. I can't kill Shadows for shit, I can't be the hero and save our girls for shit, and I can't even end up with anyone in that god damned love hotel! Compared to you, nothing I do is good enough! So Minato, if it's no big fucking deal, TELL ME HOW YOU DO IT!"

The Dark Hour arrived, splashing the room with tinges of green.

His grasp on them faded.

And then the cages holding them back broke, the sound mimicking that of a Persona summoning. It was done. Glaring at Junpei with the eyes of a madman, Minato let go, and his Personas were free.

* * *

Friends were unusual.

One minute they would get along with each other, cracking jokes and whatnot. The next minute, they would be at each other's throats. Fuuka had seen this happen numerous times as an outsider but never when she was part of a group. Now that she had experienced both sides, she could not decide which she preferred. Her parents had always schooled her to take the easier route, the one where you let others say what they want instead of arguing. Because according to them, less conflict was better for everybody. Fuuka knew the idea had some merit (she'd been living by it her whole life), but upon witnessing the heated argument, she wondered: was it always the better choice? If Yukari hadn't voiced her issue, would they all still be following Mitsuru and the Chairman blindly? If Minato hadn't spoken in such a manner, would the argument have escalated even further? The answer to both, which she knew of course, was definitely. She found it hard to believe her way of thinking had changed, let alone the fact that her life had flipped upside down, but she knew it was for the better. All those years of shying away from ridicule or scorn? It was a mask her parents had created to protect her. Here though, there was no need for that because she was with her friends.

As she followed Mitsuru to the door with numerous locks in the corner of the command room though, Fuuka was anxious. Partly because her senpai had a serious look but also because everything that had happened tonight was, in some way, her fault. Yukari had been adamant in wanting to know the details of the accident ten years ago and while Fuuka thought she was doing the right thing by assisting her, she did not stop to consider it was something Mitsuru never wanted to share.

Entering the armory and closing the door behind her, she turned to face Mitsuru, only to have her gaze captured by the weapons in the room. It was not the first time Fuuka had visited the armory but with the way all the weapons were displayed, it was hard not to admire them.

Mitsuru gave her a thoughtful stare. "Yamagishi, not only do you excel at providing support during battle, but also at obtaining information."

"Oh, I-I'm sorry for doing that without your permission," Fuuka said, casting her eyes down. "I'm not in trouble am I?"

"Don't worry, you're not," Mitsuru said, her tone softening. "And as to why we're in here, it's because the special favor I'd like to ask of you requires some discretion."

Fuuka looked up, surprised. "A favour?"

"Yes. I want you to find out as much as you can about that incident ten years ago," Mitsuru said.

"But, very little was made public."

"That's why I want you to access the Kirijo Group's database."

Fuuka blinked. _Me? Access the Kirijo Group's database? _"You mean, hack into their system? Mitsuru-senpai, I know I'm good with computers but I think that's beyond me. And besides, it's illegal isn't it?"

"It won't be. Because I'll give you my ID and password," Mitsuru replied. "You'll be free from accountability." She sighed. "To tell you the truth, I don't know any more about the incident than what I've already told you. If you can find out what really happened, then perhaps she'll be less suspicious of me. And of everyone here. Now that we know how to eliminate the Dark Hour and Tartarus, having everyone on the same side is essential if we're to defeat the remaining Shadows. Of course, I'll understand if you refuse."

Fuuka mulled over her words. There was no doubt of the tension surrounding her classmates. It lingered in the air like an invisible gas, waiting for the spark that would ignite the flame. And with each subsequent Shadow appearing to be stronger than the last, they would stand no chance in defeating them all with the way they were fighting now. _If this is going to help my friends, then so be it._ She looked at Mitsuru and nodded. "Okay. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it," Mitsuru said, smiling as she moved to the exit. "I'll give my details to you tomorrow or the day after." She paused and cast her gaze onto a nearby axe. "By the way Yamagishi, aren't you resentful? After all, I did drag you into this without telling you why. Certainly you must be a little angry with me."

"I'm not angry at all Mitsuru-senpai," Fuuka said, shaking her head. "If it weren't for you, I would still be with my parents. Since all my relatives are doctors, their inferiority complex makes it really hard to live at home. But here, I feel important. Being able to help you and the others is the best thing that's happened to me. I'm actually grateful that I was trapped in Tartarus."

Mitsuru nodded, her sullen look disappearing. She then checked her watch. Two minutes till the Dark Hour struck once again. "Come on, let's head back."

They then exited the armory and stepped back into the control room to find Yukari speaking with the Chairman by the computer monitor, and Akihiko sitting on the sofas deep in thought. He looked up at them as they approached and Fuuka noticed Mitsuru was frowning.

"Are Iori and Arisato still downstairs?" Mitsuru asked.

"Well, neither one of them has returned since they left earlier," Akihiko replied. He folded his arms. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. If they're sorting out their problems, then that's good. Besides, there'll be time later for–

Fuuka gasped as the Dark Hour struck.

While everyone gave her an anxious look and asked what was wrong, their words faded as the consciousness of Lucia, her Persona, rose from within. And in the split second their minds connected, Fuuka saw it. A radiating surge of power emanating from the foyer so strong that it severed her connection to Lucia instantly and sent a sharp pain through her mind. She swayed but Mitsuru placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Yamagishi, are you alright?" Mitsuru asked. 'What's wrong?"

Fuuka steadied herself, analyzing what she had was stronger than the two Shadows that had ambushed Mitsuru and Yukari. It was stronger than the dark energy the Shadow in the love hotel gave off. _This power... Why do I feel that I've seen it somewhere before? _

A realization hit her.

Without another word, she brushed off Mitsuru's hand and ran towards the door.

* * *

Junpei remembered the last time fear had him in its clutches. Walking into the convenience store and finding everyone had been transmogrified into a coffin. Almost becoming a late night snack for a Shadow. Just avoiding a collision with the monorail. It seemed like an age had passed since those days, and as Junpei stood facing Minato, watching Persona after Persona being summoned without the use of an Evoker, fear embraced him like an old friend.

Junpei was unsure if Minato had control over these Personas (it was hard to tell since Minato had his right arm outstretched and looked as if he could send one of them charging forward at anytime) and as much as he wanted to scream and let the others know what was happening, he could not. The sight of numerous Personas hovering in the air had him paralyzed with both awe and anxiety. He slowly averted his gaze from the Personas and upon meeting Minato's, whose grey eyes showed no remorse, Junpei began to understand.

The pressure of being leader.

The risks and consequences of having more than one Persona.

The reason why Minato spent all that time with his senpai.

And above all else, Junpei understood that there really was nothing to be jealous of. A sense of regret washed over him and he felt ashamed of being so immature and stupid to not have realized this sooner.

Junpei grimaced at his idiocy before flinching at another flash of blue. _Great. Now there's three of them. _He shook himself out of the paralysis. As magnificent as it looked, he knew that the only thing that mattered was to not do anything that might tempt Minato in attacking. He backed up a few paces, attempting to remain calm. _If all hell breaks loose, I can at least defend myself. I have my Persona too. _He reached for his Evoker–

–only to find it was not there.

Junpei swore. Ever since the chaotic excursion to Shirakawa Boulevard, visiting Tartarus was prohibited because Minato was in surgery. Without the field leader, they'd all said, it wouldn't be wise to go. So following their instructions, Junpei decided to keep his Evoker back in the armory. _And look how that turned out. Why does this always happen to me?_

Minato suddenly yelled something incomprehensible and one of his Personas, a two-headed dog, lunged at Junpei. Surprised and shocked, Junpei let himself take the hit. After being such a jerk, he supposed he deserved it. He fell onto his backside from the Persona's tackle, feeling the air knocked out of his lungs. He grunted as he placed a hand to where the Persona hit him and clenched his teeth, watching the Persona dart back to Minato's side.

"Alright," Junpei said, using the sofa to help him stand. "I deserved that. But Minato, you gotta–"

He stopped short as he was bashed to the ground by the shield of another Persona. Dazed by the blow, he didn't try to get back on his feet. He coughed, and winced as his chest rippled with pain. Or was it his ribs? He could feel them creaking. Perhaps one of them was broken. Junpei cursed once more as Minato readied the third Persona – which resembled a samurai – to attack. _This is it. This is how it's gonna end. _

Junpei braced himself for the inevitable but the Persona never came. In its place, was a cry of anguish. He lowered his arms and saw that Minato was holding his head; his three Personas convulsing vehemently until they imploded to reveal a black robed being with a katana and eight chain linked coffins. He froze. It was that Persona from the recording he had seen. The one which had ripped Orpheus apart.

The tempo of Junpei's heart increased tenfold. If he remembered right, this Persona was able to take out a full moon Shadow on its own. And if a powerful Shadow like that could be tossed aside, what threat did he pose? As he prepared to scramble to his feet and escape, the Persona caught sight of him. It glided over, its chains rattling ominously, and pointed its katana at his chest. Then it slashed. A shrill metallic clang pierced his ears and Junpei wondered if this was some symbolic sound of heaven. Opening his eyes (he had reflexively closed them and raised his arms to protect his face), he saw a familiar figure standing over him, her dagger in blade lock with the Persona's katana.

Penthesilea.

* * *

Minato losing control.

Since informing her of how his Personas spoke to him, the thought had occurred to Mitsuru once or twice, though she never believed it would actually happen. Because how could it? She made sure to keep a close eye on him most of the week, have him report how he was feeling, even went as far as forbidding him from mentioning this to his classmates in case it sparked anything. The barriers were all set into place.

So when Fuuka had dashed out of the control room, shouting about a massive energy surge downstairs, Mitsuru thought another Shadow had breached the dorm. It was the only possibility that crossed her mind and once she arrived at the foyer alongside Yukari, Akihiko and the Chairman, she was expecting to see something black and hideous and masked. Upon seeing Minato, who was holding his head and screaming in pain, a bruised and frightened Junpei, and the being with eight chain-linked coffins, she understood at once what Fuuka meant.

Mitsuru seized her Evoker (she kept it on her at all times), and summoned Penthesilea. Her Persona materialized seconds before the katana of Minato's unknown Persona came down onto Junpei, and parried the slash with her dagger. The clang of steel on steel reverberated throughout the foyer and caught by surprise, Minato's Persona was pushed back.

Penthesilea took this opening and lunged with her rapier. Her strike was too obvious however, and Minato's Persona easily responded with a riposte that landed a direct hit. Mitsuru stiffened as her Persona was struck by the katana but ignored the pain and channeled her remaining energy into keeping Penthesilea active. She then turned to the others, who were stunned beyond belief.

"Takeba, Yamagishi, go help Iori now!" Mitsuru shouted. Yukari and Fuuka nodded hesitantly, and rushed to Junpei's side. Just as Mitsuru was about to pass orders to Akihiko and the Chairman, an invisible wave of pain slammed into her. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying out and looking up, she saw traces of Penthesilea dissipate into the air. _No! I need you here! Penthesilea!_

Minato's Persona pivoted and glided towards where she stood. Nothing stopped its advance. Not Polydeuces, who had only managed to get one hit in before being slashed apart. Not Io, whose wind attacks were shrugged off and countered by beams of white light. Nothing. Mitsuru tried to raise her Evoker again but couldn't. Focusing all her mental strength to keep her Persona alive had exhausted her. She fell to her knees, and feeling the shadow of the unknown Persona enveloping her, looked at Minato and prayed.

* * *

_He felt it all._

_The other part of him swelling in the deepest part of his psyche._

_ The other part of him rising from those depths and breaking through his defenses._

_ The other part of him pushing him aside and taking control with a lust to kill._

_He saw it all._

_ The implosion of his Personas giving birth to the other part of him. _

_ The unrelenting rampage of his other self._

_ The looks of despair in all of his friends' faces. _

_He heard it all._

_ The shrill clash of blades._

_ The shouts telling him to stop the madness._

_ The pleading voice of Mitsuru. _

Unable to withstand the danger he posed to his friends any longer, Minato came forward and wrestled his other self for control over his body and mind. The struggle was like trying to withstand the vicious winds of a typhoon. And although his other self continued to repel his assault, refusing to yield, Minato did not back down either. He saw what the Persona had done to the dorm. He saw what it had done to Junpei. He saw what it was about to do to Mitsuru and Akihiko, who were on their knees, completely powerless. Empowered by his resolve to save his dignity and his friends, he fought back; his mental strength flowing with such power that had been a physical manifestation, it would have destroyed the dorm.

Stupefied by the sudden surge, his other self was overwhelmed and driven back to the darkest corner of his psyche. Its retreat severed its connection to the Persona and the effect was immediate. The Persona halted its downwards slash aimed at Mitsuru and Akihiko, fizzled, then dissolved into sparkling shards of blue dust.

Minato felt his consciousness dissolving too. His vision foggy, his thoughts vaporized, his energy spent. Absolute burnout. There was no stopping his collapse and he was gone before he hit the floor.


	22. Deja Vu

**A/N: So this chapter is a bit of a throwback to one of my earlier chapters. It's not as long as my last two updates but it is quite dialogue heavy and gives what I hope is a fresh introduction to Yakushima. To give you an overview, I'll be rearranging the sequence of this arc and spreading the events across 3 more chapters. So we'll be spending a good amount of time in Yakushima before going back to Port Island. **

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

His senses returned.

First, the touch of a soft, delicate quilt that covered everything but his head. Then, the salty aroma of a gentle sea breeze, which he heard ruffle something on his right. And finally the voices. They came from his left and as distorted as they were, he was able to distinguish two very different ones.

"–should get some rest. You've...so long already," one voice said.

"–fine. Besides, it's... anyway. I was responsible for..." the other voice replied.

_What are they talking about? Something about me? _He concentrated harder to put his speculations to rest and hearing the voices transform from soft whispers into a tone suitable for public speaking, Minato's eyes snapped open. Bright light assaulted his vision before clearing to reveal a ceiling fan and he sat up. He instantly regretted doing so as pain shot through his head. He placed a hand to his temple, closing his eyes as he waited for the ache in his head to subside. When he felt it wouldn't be back for a few minutes, he opened his eyes again and focused on the clean white sheets before him. Seeing them in combination with his intensified senses, a turbulent mind, and now the refreshing fragrance of perfume, he could only think: hadn't this happened before? Some time ago when he pretended he was hung over?

He told himself yes. The signs were there after all. A medical ward of some sort, aching muscles, the rising feeling of throwing up. All he needed now was for Yukari to yell 'You're awake!' and everything would be exactly how it was–

Something tickled his nose.

His thoughts stopped as his brain registered the scent and he couldn't help but let a small smile form. It was a distinct scent he knew quite well; spicy yet sweet, subtle enough to tease but not overpower. Only one person had such an aroma and turning to his left, he saw Mitsuru. She sat beside him, dressed in a white sleeveless turtleneck and slim black pants, her luscious red hair a delight to see. Standing next to her was Akihiko, who wore a simple red t-shirt and beige pants. They were both a little startled to see him awake so early but also relieved that he was conscious.

"This isn't _that_ hospital is it?" Minato asked. His throat was so dry that his voice came out like a frog's croak.

Mitsuru smiled and shook her head. Then she filled a glass of water on a small side desk and passed it to him. Minato took small sips, letting the water trickle down his throat, and listened as she spoke.

"You're in the medical ward of the Kirijo Mansion on Yakushima Island," she said. Her tone was just right; loud enough to be heard but soft enough to ensure his ears didn't ring. "After you passed out and didn't show any signs of recovering, the Chairman and I decided that it would be best to take you to a less populated area just in case that...that Persona of yours would appear again. Since this isn't the first time something like this has happened to you, we also wanted you to be treated by members of the Group who know about all _this_."

"Not to mention we ran out of believable reasons to justify for getting you a place in the hospital," Akihiko added.

"That as well," Mitsuru said, chuckling as she glanced at Akihiko. Then she looked back to Minato. "Anyway, how are you feeling?"

Minato, for a moment, wanted to answer the way he did when Yukari asked that very same question. _Let's just say I feel like I've had way too much to drink_, he'd said. It remained an appropriate description of his current condition though he remembered that back then, he was somewhat annoyed that Yukari had disturbed him so and did not mind toying around with her. In comparison, his senpai had been considerate enough to speak softly and even stayed by his side for quite a while if what he had heard earlier was true.

"Pretty terrible," Minato said, his voice still quite coarse and his head still heavy. "How long have I been out?"

"About two and a half days," Akihiko answered. "Not as long as last time but that's probably because you're used to summoning."

"I see. And the others? Are they here as well?"

"They arrived here a few hours ago," Mitsuru said. "In fact, since you're up, now might be the best time to explain to them just what we've been so secretive of that involves you. Akihiko, do you mind?"

"Yeah sure, I'll go get them. Hopefully they're not lost," Akihiko said. He turned and left the ward.

Hearing his footsteps fade, Minato lay back into the pillows and looked out the open window. Not too far off in the distance was a golden line of sand that stretched into the horizon, separating the ocean from the forest. The sound of distant waves crashing and folding into each other became more apparent as he relaxed and the breeze that blew into the room was just lovely. Despite the strong sense of déjà vu, this place was light-years ahead of Tatsumi Memorial Hospital in both comfort and atmosphere.

The only aspect which he couldn't place as better or worse was the presence of Mitsuru. Not Yukari. Mitsuru. It would not have been such a big deal if Shirakawa Boulevard hadn't happened. But it had. Whether it was true or false, the feelings she had for him were there and the confusion of it all still plagued him like a virus. Now that they were alone however, it was the perfect opportunity to ask her and escape this state of ambivalence. What held him back was not figuring out what to say, but how to say it. How could he bring it up in the most natural way possible? And without making his question a slurred babble?

"How long has this mansion been here?" Minato asked slowly. _There. That ought to break the ice a little._

"Quite a long time. It was already here before I was born," Mitsuru said. "This island is home to the Kirijo Group's main research laboratories so the mansion was built as a place we could stay. Being the only heir, my father always made sure I was exposed to the Group as much as possible. So often, he would bring me here during school breaks while he went about his business."

Minato nodded. Save for the rustle of trees and the roar of the ocean waves, there was only silence. An awkward one at that too. Keeping a relatively calm face, he clenched a fist beneath the white sheets. Never before had speaking to her been so difficult and knowing that he had let it happen for the second time, Minato wanted to shout. Not at her, but at himself for being such a coward. And, he supposed, at the Lovers Shadow. If it weren't for that abomination, all this would not be happening. _If it wasn't for that abomination, I would never have known of the possibility that Mitsuru-senpai could feel this way either. I would have just continued down that pointless path of being smitten. _

"Arisato, can I say something?" Mitsuru said suddenly.

"S-Sure," Minato said.

"Ever since you told me about how your Personas could speak to you, I only passed the information to Akihiko and the Chairman. I didn't want Takeba and Iori hearing about it because I felt that they wouldn't understand. By withholding information, I thought I could protect them while at the same time, making sure you were okay. However, now that I've seen the consequences of what I've done, I can't help but think that the reason you lost control is because of me. Because I wanted to keep everything a secret." She paused and looked away from him. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry for letting you go through all that pain. So if you...resent me for that, then I understand."

Her voice was tremulous, as if it hurt to say those words. But where her logic was correct, her assumption was not. Thinking he resented her because of her mistake that turned his Personas into a pack of savages? _She's blowing things way out of proportion and taking the blame again_, Minato thought. _I have to make her stop it. She can't keep doing this to herself. _Taking his eyes off the empty bed in front of him, he pulled off the sheets, got off the bed, and embraced her. He didn't care if his head was spinning from her scent and his headache, or that he was wearing a hospital gown. As a friend, he knew she needed this.

"Arisato!?" Mitsuru said, her face reddening by the second.

"Mitsuru-senpai, I don't resent you. At all. So you made a mistake, putting me through all that," he said. "It's something people do all the time."

"But I put you and everyone else in danger! Instead of protecting all of you, I did the complete opposite! You must at least be mad at me for what I've done."

Minato let go and leaned on the edge of the bed. He shook his head. "I'm not mad. I actually think what you've done is admirable. Trying to protect us all? That takes a lot of devotion most people don't have. I know this isn't something you'll easily let go but I'm not going to put the blame on you. Or Junpei. Or anybody else for that matter. This problem was mine to begin with. So I'll be the one who learns from it and ensures it doesn't happen again. That I promise you."

She held his gaze for what felt like an hour. And seeing he was serious, Mitsuru loosened up and leaned back into her chair. "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Positive," he said, flashing her a smile. "If not, feel free to lock me up in Tatsumi Memorial Hospital for however long you want."

Mitsuru giggled. "I'm happy that someone like you exists."

Minato tensed. There was something about her tone of voice, and her giggle, that made him nervous. Eyeing her, he found that her hands were in her lap, and her eyes were off to the side. And was that a slight blush on her cheeks?

"You are?" Minato said. The response sounded fine in his head but hearing it aloud made him feel stupid. He could think of better things to say than that. "I mean, what makes you say that?"

"Well, after everything that's happened, you're not doubting yourself," Mitsuru said. She looked at him. "Back when I first formed S.E.E.S. with Akihiko, there was one other member I didn't mention. Aragaki Shinjiro."

Minato's eyes widened and his mind traveled back to the scuffle in the back streets of Port Island. "Shinjiro? You mean the Shinji Akihiko-senpai is always talking about?"

"Yes. I'm not sure if Akihiko has told you but one night, during what was just another ordinary mission, Shinjiro lost control of his Persona. Instead of targeting the Shadow, his Persona attacked and killed an innocent bystander. It was an unfortunate accident and upon learning that the bystander had been killed, he resigned from S.E.E.S. the very next day."

"Akihiko-senpai never mentioned that. He only told me how he and Shinjiro were good friends since childhood. Nothing about having the potential."

"Well he does have the ability but the point is, you're different to him. Where he gave up and doubted his power after losing control, you haven't. And that means a lot to me. It makes me happy that I've placed my trust in someone who is confident in their abilities, and not discouraged by the blunders they have made."

_I had no idea she thought like this. Maybe those feelings are really for real. _Telling himself not to waste anymore time, he stepped forward and took one of her hands in his. She blushed at his touch and seeing her this cute made his cheeks heat up as well.

"Mitsuru-senpai?" he said with the most steady voice he could conjure.

"Y-Yes?" she said.

"I...I wanted to...a-ask you if..."

He trailed off as familiar voices just outside the medical ward made themselves known.

"...Yuka-tan. There's real-life maids here! How can you expect a guy to not make a big deal over it?"

"Well, Akihiko-senpai isn't all fussed about it."

"Oh yes he is. He just doesn't want to admit it. Come on Akihiko-senpai. You agree with me right?"

There was a moment of silence. Then Akihiko spoke. "To be honest, not really. Even though I haven't been here before, I've been around Mitsuru for so long now that the novelty has worn off."

"Seriously? Man, you really know how to suck the joy out of everything," Junpei said.

"Um, I think I'm missing something here," Fuuka said. "Why is Junpei so riled up over maids?"

"I think it's best if we don't tell you," Yukari answered.

As soon as they entered the ward, Minato let go of Mitsuru's hand and sat on his bed. Annoyed as he was that his friends had to arrive when he was in the middle of something so important, he was also grateful for their timing. His approach in asking was simply dreadful; the words he wanted to say tripping and tumbling over in his mouth. _Looks like I have to rehearse this. Or at least figure out the words. _He made a mental note to himself and turned to see his friends approaching. They had all changed into attire appropriate for the season: Yukari in a pink tank top and light blue pants, Junpei in a black singlet and dark blue jeans, and Fuuka in a bright aqua green sundress. Once the greetings and pleasantries were all out of the way, Yukari walked over to where Mitsuru was seated.

"Um, senpai? I'm sorry about the other day. I got a little carried away that I didn't stop to think about how you would feel," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Mitsuru said. Her composure was back; any trace of the nervous, blushing girl gone. She glanced at Minato and remembering his words, turned her attention on Yukari. "Withholding information was my mistake. And I apologize for that. You all have the right to know as much as possible. Of course, there isn't much more I can tell you regarding the incident ten years ago since what I've told you is all I know. But if it pleases you, I can ask my father if he knows anything more, and tell you why you've often been seeing Arisato around Akihiko and I."

Mitsuru then went on to explain the latter. From the first time Minato informed her that his Personas could talk, to their five repeating words, to how she and Akihiko thought his emotions were connected to his Personas' behavior and thus, decided it would be best if they monitored him. Where it was appropriate, Minato chimed in to add his testimony; Akihiko doing the same when the juniors needed further clarification. Minato was surprised his classmates absorbed the information fairly well, with no extravagant interruptions or outbursts. Even when they moved to the topic of those five words and how he had somehow known of the Shadows' arrival, they just agreed with what was the current theory.

"I...I had no idea you three were doing something like this," Yukari said. She sighed. "Now I feel bad for thinking that you guys were hiding something from us. You were just making sure he was okay."

"Well, I think what they did wasn't wrong Yukari," Fuuka said. "I mean, if we had known about this, I think we would have been afraid of our own Personas as well."

Yukari agreed. "Yeah, you're probably right." A smile formed on her lips. "Anyway, how much longer does Minato need to stay here? We can't have a vacation without everyone involved."

"I just woke up so I got no clue," Minato said. "Though I'm pretty sure it should be sometime this afternoon."

"After one more check-up in about an hour's time I believe. Then he's free to go," Mitsuru said.

"Great!" Yukari said. "You'll be coming too, right senpai?"

Mitsuru stood up. "Me? Not just yet. I have matters I need to tend to." She looked out the window for a moment. "Although...since we're going to be here for another three days, I could probably spare a few minutes showing you around so you know where everything is."

Yukari and Fuuka beamed at this and soon, everyone sans Junpei began to leave.

"Junpei! Aren't you coming?" Yukari asked.

"I will. I just want to have a quick word with Minato," he said. When everyone froze at his words, the memories of what his 'quick word' had done replaying in their heads, Junpei sighed. "Oh relax, it's not like I'm gonna do what you're all thinking."

"It's fine you guys," Minato said. "Go on and enjoy yourselves."

Mitsuru gave them both a suspicious look, which then changed into a mischievous one when she spoke. "Alright. But if anything happens, I'll personally execute both of you."

Minato exchanged a shocked glance with Junpei as she and the others left. Hearing Mitsuru speak of her execution and seeing the look of horror on her victim's face was always entertaining. When you weren't the one being threatened of course. _She's joking. She wouldn't do that to me. Junpei on the other hand... _He cut off the thought and turned to Junpei, who still appeared to be frightened. "You know she's just messing with you right?"

"Really? Man that's a relief," Junpei said, calming down. "To be honest, I couldn't tell. She looked so serious."

"It's her eyes. If you look closely, you can see that–"

Minato stopped and realized what he was saying. And who he was saying it to.

Junpei shook his head and chuckled. "It's alright dude. I ain't gonna say anything. Except that I'm sorry for being a huge pain in the ass. And a dick. And whatever else you feel like calling me. I didn't know arguing and sayin' all those things about you could lead to something so messed up."

"Neither did I," Minato said. "It's not all your fault though. I couldn't keep my Personas under control." He laughed lightly. "Guess we're both to blame huh?"

"No way man. This one was all on me. But hey, we're still cool right?"

"Of course we are."

"Thanks, man. I still feel like I gotta make up for my stupidity though. You got anything I could help ya with?"

Minato shifted his gaze onto the chair which Mitsuru had previously sat on. "I guess there is one thing that's troubling me."

"Mitsuru-senpai?" Junpei asked. When Minato said nothing and just nodded, Junpei placed a hand on his shoulder. "I thought as much. You guys looked pretty flustered when we came in."

"You saw that?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm not judging you. It takes a guy with a lotta balls to go after someone like her. Though since she's on good terms with ya, I reckon you might have a shot." He let go of Minato and folded his arms. "So what's the deal?"

Minato took a moment to think about whether it was worth telling him exactly what happened in the love hotel. He supposed speaking to someone about it was healthy but seeing as that someone was Junpei, he wasn't as certain as he should have been. _Then again, who else can I talk to about this? Certainly not Yukari or Fuuka. And Akihiko? He wouldn't get it. _Leaning back on the edge of the bed, he decided to take Junpei's offer.

"Well, it all goes back to Shirakawa Boulevard," he said. "You know how you were suspicious that something happened between me and her? You were right. After the ambush, the Shadow played with our minds. I'm saying ours because I have a feeling that she may have seen something similar to me. Anyway, in that illusion, I was not only able to see her in the shower, but also feel her thoughts and emotions about me. I thought it had to be a lie since it was an illusion but when I woke up, I found her...lying on top of me. Like we had just, you know..."

Junpei's jaw dropped. "Holy shit! Seriously?"

"Yeah. She was acting unlike herself when she woke so that made me think perhaps those feelings of hers are for real. And that's what troubles me. Whether her feelings are real or fake. I was going to ask her about this just now but then you guys came in."

"I see. Man, I guess me not endin' up with her or Yuka-tan turned out for the better. Even if it means missing out on seeing... wait, what was Mitsuru-senpai wearing?"

Minato raised an eyebrow. "I think that's going off topic."

"Right, sorry." Junpei cleared his throat, failing to wipe the disappointed look off his face. "Well, you're not doin' the wrong thing by askin' her. It's the only way you're going to know. Hmm, when we came in, did you already ask her and just quickly dropped the subject or..."

"Nope. I couldn't even get the question out."

"Dude, in that case, all you need is practice," Junpei said, grinning. "Heh, you're lucky we're at Yakushima. There should be plenty of beach babes for you to practice on. And with Akihiko-senpai around..." He started laughing as, Minato thought, images of the three of them with attractive girls in bikinis flashed in his mind. "Oh man, this is going to be awesome!"

Minato could only smile. Maybe it had been better to tell Akihiko instead. Or keep the matter to himself. As good as those options sounded however, he knew telling Junpei was the right choice. Even if the good points of Junpei's advice was scattered throughout a sea of silliness, perhaps that was what he needed to refresh his tactics. Silliness. As he promised Junpei to meet up with everyone once his check-up was done, he wondered: had he been successful, what would Mitsuru have said?


	23. Responsibilities

**A/N: So for those of you who have played P3, you'll know that there's a lot of drama in Yakushima. What I've done in this chapter basically compresses most of that drama into what I hope is a concise manner. I've altered it a bit to make it feel less like I'm just following the game as well. **

**Also as a disclaimer and possibly a spoiler for those who don't know, Kikuno is not an original character created by me. She is from the Arena series. You don't see her in P3 at all but I wanted to include her here just so that Mitsuru has someone she can confide in. I have not planned for her to have too much of a role but it may change. **

**Anyway, read on and enjoy! **

* * *

The Kirijo vacation home, also known as the Kirijo Mansion, was massive. Double storeyed and overlooking the beachfront with an outdoor patio that spanned the size of a basketball court, it was a majestic piece of architecture. The same could be said for the interior too; the foyer an area of the mansion Mitsuru was particularly fond of. A grand hall with classy chandeliers, it brought back memories of her childhood with Minato. Hiding behind the line of white pillars on either side of the room that provided structural support for the second floor, hoping that the maids would not find them. Climbing the balustraded staircases near the entrance and then running past the exquisite plants, the pieces of rare art hanging above the antique furniture, and the doorways leading to different rooms without a care in the world.

Life in those days were now so alien that Mitsuru could not fathom how she had been that childish. And as she led her dorm mates around the mansion, the memories popping into existence whenever they stopped to examine something, she could only ask herself: was that really her? So shy yet so carefree? _Maybe. But that's why I was hurt so much back then. I wasn't being realistic. _

_And I suppose now you are? _the other voice in her head asked. _Thinking that _he_ feels that way for you? You know you're better than to fall for that._

Mitsuru considered the words of her subconscious and thought back to when she was alone with Minato in the medical ward. She admitted some of the confusion surrounding the Shadow's illusion had cleared up, and if what Minato had tried to ask her was any indication, it had cleared up by a substantial margin. But was it reasonable to assume his feelings were genuine yet? Probably not. For all she knew (and as silly as it sounded), he could have been asking her what Student Council matters he had missed out on. Arriving at the center of the foyer's first floor, her eyes fell onto her personal maid and childhood friend, Saikawa Kikuno. _Perhaps I should ask her what she thinks. _

"Well then, I think that's all I have time for," Mitsuru said, addressing the others. "You'll all be okay in not getting lost?"

"I think so," Fuuka said. "Our rooms are in the east wing and the dining hall is just a couple of rooms down from there."

"Wow Fuuka, you're pretty good," Yukari said. "I'm still having trouble remembering where everything is."

"Heh, Yuka-tan's lost her way as well," Junpei said with a smirk. "Man it feels good not being the only one."

Yukari shot him one of her killer stares. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"N-Nothing!" Junpei said, waving his arms in front of him.

"If you do get lost," Kikuno said, "there will be maids stationed throughout the mansion. So ask them if you need any directions."

"We'll be fine," Akihiko said. He turned to Mitsuru. "You should get going."

Mitsuru nodded and without any delay, turned and headed towards her father's office with Kikuno. Between the girls' interest in exploring the mansion and its many rooms, Akihiko's insistence on checking out the gym, and Junpei's eagerness to hustle to the beach, the few minutes allocated to showing them around almost became half an hour. And while she hadn't planned on visiting her father in the first place since she did not want to ruin his vacation, she supposed the Chairman was right. It had been a while since she had last spoken to him in person – which was way back when he informed her of Yukari's arrival in the dorm – and with everything that had happened since Minato's arrival, she was curious to hear his opinion about it all. As well as to inform him of their progress in eliminating Tartarus and the Dark Hour.

"They're quite a lively bunch aren't they?" Kikuno said as they walked through a hallway with glass windows on the left that allowed a view of the ocean. She was a few inches shorter than Mitsuru, with short navy blue hair and maroon eyes. As Mitsuru's personal maid, she wasn't dressed in the standard attire of a black dress and a white apron but rather, a professional business suit; dark pants, and a white blouse underneath a black vest.

"Oh they are quite a handful," Mitsuru said. "Managing them all can be stressful at times. It makes me wonder how Arisato does it."

"Well he does have a natural flair of making others follow him. But you should know this milady. You've had firsthand experience in becoming friends with him. Remember? That day in school? When you– "

"I remember very well Kikuno. Honestly, I thought you promised me that you wouldn't bring that up again."

Kikuno chuckled. "My apologies. It's just that when you talk about him, it's hard not to reminisce. He was one of the biggest influences in your life after all."

"I guess you have a point," Mitsuru said. She stopped walking and looked out the window, admiring the blameless blue sky. "Actually, there was something I wanted some advice on."

"Advice milady?"

"Well maybe not advice as such but more..."

_More what? Clarification? _Mitsuru creased her brow as she struggled to find the right word that described what she really wanted out of Kikuno. It would have been an easy task but with the memory of Minato grasping her hand so affectionately replaying over and over again in her mind, she found it hard to think with any logical reason. Not to mention what she wanted, and was about to do, contradicted her protocol. Telling Kikuno that she, the daughter heir of the Kirijo Group, had boy problems and required help? Completely irrational. She turned to look at Kikuno and shook her head.

"Never mind. It's nothing," Mitsuru said. She began to move but Kikuno stood in front of her and gave her a stern yet compassionate look.

"I know that face when I see it milady," Kikuno said. "It's okay, you can tell me whatever's bothering you."

"I can't possibly–"

"Mitsuru."

The strong tone of Kikuno's voice made Mitsuru flinch. She hadn't heard her maid speak her name like that in several years. The last time Kikuno had done so – if her mind could get over the memory of the medical ward and to another extent, what happened in the Shadow's illusion that is – was back in elementary school. When she had been friends with Minato for some time and refused to tell her father and Kikuno why she had been spending all that time around him. Upon hearing it again, Mitsuru decided to give up in trying to hide her thoughts.

"Alright. What I wanted to ask you was your perspective on something that happened," Mitsuru began. "It goes back to our most recent operation in Shirakawa Boulevard. There was a Shadow there, one that was unusually stronger than the ones you can find in Tartarus. Anyway, because of our carelessness, we allowed ourselves to be ambushed by the Shadow. I'm not sure if Takeba and the others went through the same ordeal, but what I felt from an illusion it created was..." She paused for a moment, thinking about how unlike herself she was being right now before continuing. "...Arisato's feelings for me. It was so strong that I almost thought it was real."

Kikuno was taken aback though she quickly regained her composure. "I see. I'm sure it was just the Shadow's way of trying to demoralize you. What you experience in an illusion cannot be real."

"I know," Mitsuru said, folding her arms. "I came to that same conclusion. What I'm confused about is that earlier today, Arisato tried to ask me something. He didn't get the chance to but from the way he took my hand and acted so nervous, I'm beginning to question the conclusion that the illusion was just that."

"So whether or not he feels something for you is what's bothering you?"

"Yes." Mitsuru sighed and laughed a little. "You must think I'm crazy, being so concerned about something like this."

"Well milady, I can't really speak for myself since I haven't been in a close relationship but I'm sure it's only normal to be anxious about all this," Kikuno said. "Maybe something similar happened to him. And he's asking you for clarification."

"You think so?"

Kikuno nodded. "I'm quite sure of it. Though if he's attempting to find out where you stand, then I think you had better find that out soon. You'd want to be able to answer him right?"

Mitsuru wasn't so sure. Yes she did think of him in a different way compared to someone like Akihiko (a relationship in which she knew exactly where the boundaries were), though whether it was to the point of, dare she say, love? It was an uncomfortable thought. That was not to say she didn't care for him – because she did – but if Minato had indeed asked her, she would have been unable to give him a clear answer. Which was, she thought, just as good as turning him down.

"I suppose I'll have to give it some serious thought," Mitsuru said. "Thank you Kikuno. I'm not sure what I would've done without your insight."

"No need to thank me milady," Kikuno said. "It's my job to look after you. Now, we should probably not keep your father waiting any longer."

The two then continued down the hallway. With her troubles spoken, Mitsuru felt odd. Never before had she been so open to talk about her inner conflicts in such detail. Even though it was to Kikuno of all people, someone whom she felt it was okay to share her secrets with and had done so in the past, something about telling others your problems seemed unusual. How could you grow as a person if you passed the burden onto others? The problems were yours to begin with so it was only fair that you were the one to solve it. Mitsuru could not understand the logic of involving others in private affairs, regardless of the many times her father had reminded her to abandon that way of thinking. She admitted that it did feel somewhat better though, as if tiny cracks were beginning to show on the cage of ice that trapped her heart.

Arriving at the door to her father's office, Mitsuru watched Kikuno open it for her and they both stepped in. The room was abnormally large and decorated for a study, the walls decorated with more pieces of art; the paintings on the right flanking a portrait of Kirijo Kouetsu. Mitsuru eyed her rather plump grandfather with disdain before turning to look at the man gazing out the window – which presented a view of the forest and the mountainous terrain of Yakushima – in front of her.

"Father. I'm sorry for being late. I thought it best to show them around," Mitsuru said.

Kirijo Takeharu turned around. With grizzled hair and a commanding aura about him, he certainly did not appear to be a man in his mid forties. Mitsuru wasn't sure if it was the grey business suit, the eye-patch covering his right eye, or the amount of stress plaguing his face that made him appear so but nevertheless, she was happy to see he was in good health. Especially when she considered the amount of pressure the Group was currently facing.

"It's quite alright," Takeharu said, moving to sit on his desk chair and gesturing for Mitsuru to take a seat. "You're on your summer break after all so you should relax a little. I presume our guests are residents of the dorm?"

Mitsuru nodded as she sat down. "I had to bring them all because of what happened." She tensed as an image of Minato's unknown Persona bearing its katana at her sped past in her mind. "I'm sure the Chairman informed you."

"He did," Takeharu said, shooting a quick glance at the photo depicting himself, Mitsuru, and Minato's family taken many years ago on the left side of the elaborate, wooden desk. He sighed. "Arisato Minato. Never would I have thought something like this would happen to him." He then gave Mitsuru a stern look. "You said this wasn't the first time you saw that Persona, correct?"

"Yes. It made its first appearance when he awakened to his power. Akihiko and I thought it was just an anomaly since there are different side effects for everyone when they summon for the first time. But this and the fact that he can summon more than one confirms that there is something..."

_Wrong with him? No, wrong isn't the right word. How about–_

"You don't have to finish that sentence if you don't want to," Takeharu said, interrupting Mitsuru's thought process. "I know how hard it must be for you." He paused. "How much does he remember?"

"Close to nothing," Mitsuru answered, crossing her legs. "From what he mentioned, he can only recall fragmented memories of that incident. He wants to know what happened. How his parents died. It's actually what made him agree to fight Shadows with us."

Takeharu gave a slight nod. "And his overall behavior?"

Mitsuru exchanged a glance with Kikuno, who remained by the doorway, before looking at her father. She felt as if telling him about the happenings at Shirakawa Boulevard was a good idea but decided against it. What would she say anyway? That Minato had intimate feelings for her? That Minato looked after her exclusively? Her father would think she had become one of those...what was the word for it? Well whatever it was, her father would think her as that naive girl all those years ago. And though that wasn't the case at all, Mitsuru knew she would have difficulties in coming across as a person unsure of what the illusions meant. No, there was no need to add more complications to her father's ever growing list of problems.

"He's...retained some of his earlier qualities I suppose," Mitsuru said. "He fights well just like I thought he would, is at the top of his class, and is still protective of everyone." _Especially me_. She shook that thought off. Her father did not need to know that either. "If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have had the same success in eliminating the Shadows as we do now."

Takeharu folded his arms. "It's reassuring to hear he hasn't changed a whole lot." He then looked at Mitsuru, a smile attempting its very best to form on his lips. "He's been looking after you hasn't he?"

Mitsuru flushed and she looked away from his eyes. "Was it that obvious?"

"Quite," Takeharu said. He stood up and turned to look out the window once more. "As much as it makes me glad that he's fine, I want you to be careful Mitsuru. I'm not saying that you should avoid him. Or have no trust in him. But as you are the sole heir to the Kirijo Group, you have a responsibility to ensure our company lives on. Should anything happen to me, you know what you must do yes?"

Mitsuru nodded, feeling Kikuno give her a concerned look. Her betrothal was something that hadn't been brought up in years and hearing it now reminded her of how her story was already written. Become the chairwoman of the Kirijo Group and wife to a man she felt nothing for. She supposed most other people would be envious of the fact that she had her life figured but really, what was there to envy? The surprise, spontaneity and most importantly, the freedom of life was taken away from her. Being a Kirijo, she knew allowing her emotions to influence her decisions was forbidden but a part of her felt that for something as major as this, her feelings should have at least some say in the matter. Otherwise how were she and her proposed fiancée supposed to get along? It made no sense, considering that from the few times she had met him over the last couple of months, she was not impressed.

"Also, there's another thing," Takeharu said, turning around. "Why did you hide the details of the incident from them for so long?"

"I...I just thought that if they knew, they wouldn't have agreed to help us," Mitsuru said, reverting her attention back onto him.

"I've told you time and time again that you are not to blame." Takeharu walked over to the portrait of his father and studied it. "'Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection.' Our guiding principle ever since we separated from the Nanjo Group." He gave Mitsuru a sidelong glance. "You must learn to place your trust in others Mitsuru. No matter how many sacrifices you make, no matter how much you think you have a good grasp of a situation, there will always be times when you just cannot rely on yourself. There's a girl in your group named Takeba yes?"

Mitsuru nodded again. "Are you planning to disclose everything to them then?"

"I've already made preparations to do so," Takeharu said. "Tell them to gather in the lounge this evening. And steel themselves. They may be in for quite a shock."

* * *

When Mitsuru had told them to gather in the lounge – a wide room with a low ceiling, verdant plants scattered around, and a fountain at the opposite end of where the arrangement of couches were – and prepare themselves, Yukari thought it was in regards to what Mitsuru's father had planned to tell them. She did not think once that his demeanor was something she needed to prepare for as well; Takeharu's greeting coming across more as a threat than anything else. To her reassurance, she wasn't alone in thinking that. Both Junpei and Fuuka were just as startled as her; Akihiko a little less, likely because he had met Takeharu before, and Minato unfazed as usual. In fact, Minato (who was now dressed in his white-blue t-shirt and jeans) was so relaxed that he had the nerve to casually lean against one of the four pillars that were by the couches, hands in pockets, instead of sitting down like everyone else. Though what he was doing was none of her business, Yukari was uncomfortable with him being so carefree. And that Takeharu didn't even care. Surely not showing proper manners to their host would have some consequences right?

_Apparently not,_ she thought. _Then again, I'm sure Mitsuru-senpai would have told her dad that Minato isn't like other people. Oh well._

"So from what I understand, Mitsuru has already told you the essence of what we were trying to do," Takeharu said, looking around at everyone who nodded. "Well, it's true that we adults are to blame. I would atone for it with my life if I could but even so, I doubt it would be enough to forgive the burden we've placed onto all of you." He cleared his throat. "Now, what my father really wanted to do with the Shadow's power was to create a time manipulation device. Imagine if you could prevent any unwanted events from occurring or shape the future to your liking. It would be an extremely powerful tool that would guarantee a lifetime of successes for anyone. Unfortunately, my father lost sight of what he was doing and as a consequence of studying Shadows for so long, he eventually embraced Nihilism."

Takeharu then turned his gaze onto Yukari. "You're Takeba Yukari?"

"Y-Yes," Yukari said.

"Before I tell you the truth, I'd like for you to understand that the research team was only being ordered by my father. Due to his madness, nobody could have predicted that the project would turn out this way.

"What do you mean by that?" Then, fearing she wasn't being respectful enough, she quickly added, "Sir?"

Takeharu did not answer and instead, grabbed the remote that was on the coffee table and pressed a button. Yukari had the faintest idea of what kind of device the remote belonged to but, that question was answered a few seconds later when she saw a screen descending from the ceiling on her right. Once it was in full view, Takeharu pressed another button and the screen came to life.

"What's this?" Akihiko asked.

"The only existing footage of the accident, recorded by a scientist at the scene," Takeharu said.

There was some crackling and buzzing before the screen displayed a clear image of a brown-haired, middle aged man. With eyes that suggested he hadn't slept in days and a white lab coat, he appeared to be another generic scientist. Yet even so, Yukari was a trifle suspicious. Being addressed by Takeharu in such a formal manner and then being shown a recording of the accident? Something was off and when the scientist began to speak, her heart almost skipped a beat.

"I pray that this recording falls into safe hands," the man in the recording said. "My employer has gone mad with his obsession over this loathsome idea. What we've done here will definitely result in an unprecedented disaster but hopefully what I've done may, at the very least, mitigate the consequences of this mess."

Yukari stood up, her eyes unbelieving of what she was seeing. "No...It can't be..."

"Whoever may find this, please listen carefully," the man continued. "The Shadows that were amassed here have been dispersed as a result of the explosion. To stop the world from ending, you must eliminate all of them!" The recording then wavered as smoke began to emerge from the console behind the man. "I am to blame for this. Even though I knew the risks, I was blinded by the promise of success. And so, I didn't raise any objections. To those burdened with cleaning up our mistakes, I am truly sorry. I–"

A shower of sparks fell, explosions erupted from all directions, and the recording cut off.

"...Dad?" Yukari said, her voice cracking. All her friends turned to look at her but she didn't meet their eyes. "Did you know about this Mitsuru-senpai?"

"Not at all," Mitsuru said slowly. She looked at Takeharu, who gave her a slight nod.

"Takeba Eiichiro was a brilliant and very talented man," Takeharu said. "Due to his skill set, the Kirijo Group recruited him, appointed him as the head researcher of this project, and pushed him to continue the research." He then looked at Yukari again. "Yukari, it is not entirely your father's fault. The Kirijo Group is to blame for everything."

"But he caused it all didn't he?" Yukari said, her voice shaking. "The Dark Hour, Tartarus, the accident. It's all his fault!" She turned her furious eyes onto Mitsuru. "Is that why you were afraid to bring up this issue senpai!? Because you felt sorry for me?"

"No Takeba, I–" Mitsuru started.

"I don't need your pity!" Yukari interrupted.

Her heart was broken. Her faith was shattered. Devastated by the revelation, Yukari ran out of the lounge. Without another word and without looking back.

* * *

After Yukari's departure, the lounge was at a standstill. Everyone remained quiet, not knowing what to say. Minato wondered if he could somehow squeeze in the question of how his parents died as well but as soon as he opened his mouth, Fuuka spoke.

"Um, shouldn't someone go after her?" she asked.

Minato glanced at Junpei, then Akihiko, and then finally Mitsuru. He knew none of them were in the right frame of mind to handle something so delicate as this so when Mitsuru met his gaze, he already knew what she would ask of him.

"I have to go don't I?" he said.

"Do you mind?" Mitsuru asked. "I doubt she'll listen to anyone else."

Minato considered her words. He did not doubt his ability to comfort her though whether Yukari wanted that was one thing, and whether that would have the desired effect of making her come to terms with what the Kirijo Group had done was another. Either way, he felt that this was something Yukari would have to overcome herself and any interventions made would serve to anger her even more. As he looked at everyone's solemn looks however, it was clear as day that he did not really have much of a choice.

"Alright then," Minato said with as little reluctance as possible. He leaned off the pillar and was about to leave when he remembered something: Yukari spent a lot of time with Fuuka. Perhaps he'd have more success if she tagged along as well? Figuring it was worth a try, he spun and looked at the green haired girl. "Fuuka, do you mind coming along with me? I'm sure Yukari would feel better if she talked to someone she really trusts."

Fuuka exchanged a glance with Mitsuru before standing up. "Sure, I'll go with you."

And with that, the two left the lounge in pursuit of the fading echoes of Yukari's footsteps. The search was more difficult than they had anticipated; the Kirijo Mansion being so large that the footsteps could have been emanating from any room with tiled floors. They passed through several halls and corridors, checking the main dining room, the gymnasium and the outdoor patio without any success.

"This is getting ridiculous. She could be anywhere," Minato said as they entered the foyer. He then chuckled. "If only it was the Dark Hour. You could then look for her, right Fuuka?"

"I probably could," Fuuka said. "I'm actually surprised none of the maids saw– Oh Kikuno-san!"

Minato looked in the direction Fuuka was facing to see a slender woman with dark blue hair approaching them. For a moment, he thought there was something familiar about this person – the way she dressed differently compared to the other maids maybe – but the feeling subsided instantly. He didn't know who this was at all.

"This is a surprise," Kikuno said. "I thought you two would be with Kirijo-sama."

"We were but Yukari then ran off when Mitsuru's father told us about what happened in the accident," Fuuka said. "Have you seen her?"

"Yukari? I think I saw her leaving the mansion. I'm not sure where she was headed but I would assume it's the beach."

"Okay. Thanks so much Kikuno-san."

Kikuno inclined her head. "You're welcome." She took a cursory glance at Minato, and then left to continue her business.

As Minato followed Fuuka outside and down the path leading to the beach, something about the way this Kikuno had eyed him would not leave his mind. While it had been no more than a glance, it felt as if he was being studied like the way a biologist studies an organism. He had heard from the others that Kikuno was Mitsuru's personal maid and childhood friend so was it possible she was sizing him up? And then secretly telling Mitsuru her observations? _You're over thinking this. She was just looking because she hasn't seen me before. So let it go and focus on getting Yukari back. _

Stepping onto the fine sand, the late night ocean breeze greeting them with its salty flavor, they looked down both ends of the beach. And as Kikuno had told them earlier, Yukari was here, standing on the far left with the waves sloshing around her feet. Minato and Fuuka looked at each other and with a nod, they began to approach Yukari.

"How do you think we should handle this?" Fuuka asked as they trudged along the beach.

"What do you mean?" Minato said.

"Well, since I'm not really good at cheering people up, I'm worried I might say something that might make her even more upset."

Minato stopped walking and turned to face her. "Oh. In that case, just let me do the talking and back me up when you feel it's right."

"O-Okay then," Fuuka said.

They then resumed walking. Once Minato felt that Yukari was within earshot, he called out to her and she turned her attention on them.

"Oh, it's you guys," she said with a sigh. "I had a feeling someone was going to come after me. Let me guess, Mitsuru-senpai asked you two to bring me back. Am I right?" When Minato nodded, Yukari looked out to where the ocean met the sky. "I knew it. Well, you can tell her that...that..."

"I'm not telling anyone anything," Minato said, his tone firm enough that Fuuka glanced at him nervously. Seeing her concerned look out of the corner of his eye, he lowered his voice and continued, "I know it's hard accepting all this but you have to. It's the only way you'll be able to move on."

Yukari scoffed and took a few steps toward him. "You think I don't know that? You think I haven't tried? Well guess what? I have. But you wouldn't know how hard it is anyway because nothing ever fazes you!"

Minato held her gaze; the confidence he had earlier in his ability to handle this situation jumping out the window. What made him think that he could handle Yukari and her mood swings, he had no idea. Perhaps it had something to do with the way he handled Mitsuru's case. That one had gone by quite smoothly – if the horrible ending was ignored of course – but alas, Yukari did not hold the same level of composure that Mitsuru did. Whatever he said, he had to ensure it didn't strike Yukari's sensitive side; something which was impossible to do since her mental barriers were as thick as a snowflake.

"That's not true," he said. "I've been challenged like this before."

"Oh yeah?" Yukari retorted. "And what would that be? Your parents dying?"

"Yes."

Yukari froze and glare subsided. Neither of them nor Fuuka said a word; the silence filled by the waves continuing their fruitless and noisy competition of who could reach the highest point of the shore. At least a minute passed before Minato finally spoke.

"It's probably not the same as learning someone close to you was responsible for creating a phenomenon that could end the world but, it was enough to traumatize me," Minato said.

"I...I'm sorry," Yukari said. "That was really rude of me." She then let out a strangled cry and sank to her knees. "Why my dad? Why not Mitsuru-senpai's father instead?" When Fuuka moved to kneel beside her on the right, and Minato sat down on her left, Yukari continued, "I'm a horrible person aren't I?

Fuuka shook her head. "Not at all Yukari. It's only natural for you to think that. I mean, when I was younger and saw how lucky all my cousins were, having doctors as parents, I sometimes wished that I was born in their family instead. And that they were born in mine. It was pretty silly now that I think about it but...um..."

"That's how people are," Minato finished for her and Fuuka nodded.

"You're just trying to make me feel better," Yukari said. Her voice was on the verge of cracking. "I just...I just don't know what to do anymore." She looked at Fuuka and then to Minato, the glow of the moon reflecting the gleam in her eyes. "Tell me, what should I do?"

Minato stood up and held out a hand. "Stay with us and fight. Not because I'm telling you to, or because Mitsuru-senpai requested it of you, but for your father. Do it for him." In saying so, he saw something amid Yukari's teary eyes. A spark of determination perhaps? Minato hoped it was.

"...You're right," Yukari said, taking his hand and getting to her feet. "It's what my dad would have wanted." Once Fuuka had got up as well, Yukari moved so that she could look at them both. "Thanks you guys. I'm sorry for dragging you two all the way out here and being all...you know."

"It's alright," Fuuka said, her face brightening up. "We're just happy we could help."

"No really. Doing stuff like this on a vacation is just wrong. We're supposed to be having fun and I'm ruining it."

"Well to be fair, I think Junpei's got that covered with his maid obsession," Minato said.

Both Yukari and Fuuka giggled before stopping abruptly as they saw a figure running towards them. Wondering what had caused them to do so, Minato spun and saw that the figure was Junpei.

"Sheesh man," he said, huffing and puffing. "What's taking you guys so long? Senpai was getting worried and plus, it's almost the Dark Hour." He inhaled deeply and let the breath out. "Please tell me Yuka-tan's feeling better now."

"Don't worry Junpei," Yukari said with a small smirk. "I'm more than ready to jump on whatever dumb thing comes out of your mouth."

"Oh crap, she's back. And even meaner than before."

As they all made their way back to the mansion, the frivolities of Yukari and Junpei returning immediately, Minato felt uneasy. The feeling had been bothering him ever since he set foot onto the beach but he had ignored it in favor of dealing with Yukari first. Now that that was settled though, the feeling of being watched crept back into his bones and he stopped in place, turning his attention to the looming trees on the right. There was something there. He was sure of it.

"Is something the matter Minato?" Fuuka asked, noticing that he was lagging behind.

"I thought I saw something but I guess it must've just been my imagination," Minato said. Still, in saying so, the feeling remained. He considered speaking of it but decided against it. Too many things had already happened today and adding something like this was unnecessary. "Come on, let's head back."

* * *

Unseen by Minato and the others, a figure stood between two trees. It had witnessed it all: Yukari's outburst, Fuuka's comforting words, and Junpei's entrance, though it was not interested in either of those three. Its interest lied in the blue haired boy. And when said boy had turned in its direction, his cool grey eyes scanning the darkness of the forest, unknowingly looking into its own, it was overjoyed. Why?

"Because I have found you."


	24. Sundress

**A/N: With all that drama out of the way, it's time for some lightheartedness fun. This chapter will introduce everyone's favorite teenage robot as well as some other things. I decided to try a different approach here so I've broken the chapter up into short, connected sequences, and given every member of SEES their own point of view. I'd like to hear what you think about this approach - the short sequences that is - and whether you'd like to see it in later chapters. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The slaps were painful.

At least, they looked painful, with enough force to send Junpei and Akihiko sprawling onto the golden sand. Minato was glad he hadn't joined them for this particular sortie because if he had learned anything from their campaign of picking up women on the beach, it was that none of the ploys demonstrated were going to be of much help when he asked Mitsuru. She was too smart – or too aloof – to fall for such lame tricks and with the threat of being executed forever in the back of his mind, it gave him all the more reason not to go about it this way.

The 'operation' was a shame. Minato did not expect an immediate solution (given it was Junpei who was helping him, there was no way he could figure it out just like that) though he had hoped the experience would at least stimulate his brain. Give him a blueprint of what to do, what to say, perhaps even an idea of where to do it. No matter how vague, it was all he wanted. But while he knew Junpei meant well in helping him practice, Minato also knew that his classmate had an enormous ego. And needed to show it.

"What the hell was that senpai?" Junpei asked as he got to his feet and watched the girls that they were attempting to attract run off.

"What do you mean the hell was that?" Akihiko shot back, scrambling to stand as well. "You were the one who made us look like a bunch of idiots with your so-called 'expertise'!"

"Well who else was gonna stop you from saying 'That's too bad' all the time!?"

"I didn't say that all the time. Besides, they were out of our age group anyway."

Junpei looked at Akihiko as if the latter had been living under a rock his whole life. "Dude! Don't you know that older women are more experienced? They're like fine wines!"

"So by that logic, you're saying you prefer _older_ women?" Minato said, smirking.

"You know what I mean!" Junpei said. He moved closer to Minato and then spoke in a tone loud enough for only the two of them. "You can't say a damn thing about this anyway. You're interested in _her_."

"That's true. I'll shut up now."

Junpei nodded and looked out at the sea. "Man this sucks. Why couldn't Yuka-tan and the others join us today? We're at an island resort in the middle of summer! Not being at the beach is just wrong."

"Well it is your fault," Akihiko said.

"How is it my fault?" Junpei asked, turning to face him.

"You scared them off with your maid talk."

"What? Don't blame it on me, I was just trying to lighten up–"

"I don't want to hear it."

Minato allowed them to continue arguing. Not because he had told Junpei he would keep quiet or because he was tired of playing the role of mediator, but because he spotted something at the south end of the beach. He took several steps in the direction of the thing that had piqued his interest, passed his friends who ceased talking, and saw that there was a figure standing at the end of a wooden dock.

"What did you find now?" Junpei asked.

Minato pointed at the female figure. "We still might have some luck."

* * *

There was a certain charm to walking in a forest. Be it the smell of the lush undergrowth, the melodious singing of birds and insects, or the plain tranquility and stillness of such a natural area, Fuuka loved it all. It was a place she would not mind spending the rest of the day, and the rest of tomorrow if she could, just enjoying nature's beautiful creations. The one aspect that lowered her enjoyment was Yukari and Mitsuru. Neither of them had spoken to the other ever since they had set off to see Jyomon-Cedar Tree earlier this morning. And although Fuuka liked the silence, there was a point where going without speaking was too much. Even for her. Oh she had tried coaxing them into conversing by throwing out random questions and speaking her thoughts aloud but for what it was worth, she may as well have been teaching algebra to preschoolers.

It was understandable however, given the events of last night. She admired Yukari for being able to tolerate the presence of Mitsuru and not go into one of her shouting fits. Likewise, Fuuka admired Mitsuru's ability to keep her composure in the presence of someone whom she would have been apologizing to over and over again. Though that was the case, she was still afraid of the impending dispute that she could feel taking place and whether or not she would be able to handle it the way Minato had. _At least I was there and I saw how he did it. _

"It's a good thing that Junpei isn't around right?" Fuuka said, hoping that either one of them would say something this time.

"Yeah," Yukari said. "He would have made this walk unbearable." She glanced at Mitsuru. "What do you think senpai?"

"Hm? I suppose so," she replied. Before she could go on, her cell phone began ringing and fishing it out of her right pocket, she placed it to her ear. "Mitsuru speaking."

"Oh Mitsuru," Ikutsuki's voice said. "Sorry to bother you but we have a slight problem and I was wondering if you could do a favor for me."

"Hang on, I'll put you on speaker so that Takeba and Yamagishi can hear you as well."

Mitsuru gestured for the others to gather around, pressed a button and held out her phone. "Please continue."

"Well, your father and I are in the main laboratory and while working, we discovered a machine that was considered inoperable suddenly left the facility on its own," Ikutsuki said.

"You mean like a robot?" Yukari asked.

"Something like that yes. It's a–"

Ikutsuki paused. Fuuka thought he was probably consulting with Takeharu about how much detail he needed to go into, and what the Chairman said next confirmed her assumption.

"To be precise, it's an anti-Shadow weapon. I would like to ask if you could all go and find it."

"Is there any more information you can give us?" Fuuka asked. "I'm going to need more details to locate anything other than Shadows."

"I'm sorry Fuuka but it's classified. I can't give you any more information than I already have."

"We'll keep an eye out for it," Mitsuru said. "We're currently not with the boys so it might take some time for us to all assemble. That being said, if we do find it, what do you want us to do with it?"

"If you can, try to keep it contained," Ikutsuki said. "Once you're sure you have it under control, call me back and your father and I will be on our way to wherever you are."

"Understood."

Mitsuru sighed as she ended the call and folded her arms.

"Are you alright senpai?" Fuuka asked.

"I'm fine," Mitsuru replied. She looked distressed though whatever traces of it there were in her eyes, Fuuka noted that she hid it well. "It's just that things keep piling on top of each other. First with Arisato and his loss of control, then to Takeba learning of her father's fate and now this. It seems this vacation isn't living up to what I promised."

"Hey, don't worry about it so much Mitsuru-senpai," Yukari said. Much to Fuuka's amazement, Yukari then placed a hand on her senpai's shoulder. "We've still got another day left. Let's make it the best one."

Mitsuru nodded and smiling slightly, gestured for Yukari to remove her hand. "Okay. Now then, we should go back and find the others." She turned to Fuuka. "Then we can have you use your Persona to scan the area."

"Alright," Fuuka said. "Where do you think the boys would be?"

"If I know Junpei, I know exactly where he'll be," Yukari said.

And with that, she led them back down the forest trail and to the place where the ground was just as bright as the sun.

* * *

If there was anything that screamed to be a silver lining for Junpei, it was the girl standing on the dock. With short blond hair and a slender body concealed by her light blue sundress, he felt this was the opportunity that would make up for the consistent string of failures. Fate had given him one last chance to prove he had what it took to pick up a girl and he was not going to let this one slip through his fingers. Not by a long shot.

"Talk about saving the best for last," he said, glancing at Akihiko and Minato. He then took a step forward. "Pardon me gentlemen, but I'll just scoot over there and–"

Akihiko grabbed his arm. "Oh no you're not. I'm going to be the one to score this time."

"You're going to score? I thought you weren't interested in picking up chicks," Junpei said, shaking off the boxer's grip.

"If I'm in a match, I want to win. And the only way for that to happen is if you step aside. You've had plenty of attempts at this already and it's all gone wrong. What makes you think you're going to be successful this time?"

"Because Minato is comin' with me." Junpei placed an arm around Minato's shoulders. "Ain't that right buddy?"

Minato eased himself out of Junpei's arm. "That wouldn't be fair at all. How about we each try individually? That way we're all on even ground and stand a better chance."

Junpei thought about this. The proposal wasn't a half bad idea and if he could have the first shot, then perhaps he could show Minato and Akihiko who the real master was. From observing their earlier foray on a pair of ladies, who were sitting on beach chairs, he knew they needed it; Minato especially. If his classmate was going to have any success in asking Mitsuru out, he'd have to do better than standing around and waiting to be prompted with a question.

"Alright then," Junpei said. "But for your own good, I'll go first and show you how it's done."

With no grumbles of disagreement, Junpei made his way down the beach and onto the dock. As he approached the girl in the sundress, his bare feet leaving specks of sand on the wooden flooring, he shot a glance back at his friends and saw that they had moved to wait behind a giant boulder. While they appeared to be out of sight, they actually had a perfect view of him. _Prime seats to watch the master do his thing. Oh boy this is gonna be good. _

As he came closer to the girl, he could only grin as all sorts of scenarios played out in his imagination. From him taking a stroll on the beach with her, to seeing the envious look on Akihiko's face, to hearing Minato say that he had finally learned something... It was simply riveting and with his confidence in check, he took a deep breath, let it out, turned his cap backwards, and spoke.

"H-Hey, h-how's it going?" Junpei began. When the girl did not respond, maybe due to the headphones she was wearing, he took a step closer and tapped her shoulder. "I noticed you've been, uh, staring at the ocean so I was wondering if you come here often or something."

The girl glanced at him. With her bright blue eyes and pristine, innocent face, she was one of, if not, the most beautiful girl Junpei had ever seen; her beauty even rivaling that of Mitsuru. Or so he liked to think anyway. He wondered if Minato would change his mind in pursuing Mitsuru once he had laid his eyes on this girl. The possibility was there but he threw the thought away as fast as it came. He wouldn't let Minato have this chance. His friend already had Mitsuru and for him to snatch away yet another pretty girl would be downright unfair.

"What do you want?" the girl asked. Her voice was flat.

"Don't worry," Junpei said. "I-I just want to talk. My name's Ju-Ju-Junpei."

"Ju-Ju-Junpei?"

"N-No it's just Junpei. You know what, how about I start again?" He cleared his throat. "Hi, how you doin'?"

The girl looked back toward the horizon. "I am looking for a human."

"Oh yeah?" Junpei said. "Any chance that human might be me?"

"You are not the one."

Junpei heard something crack. Then shatter. And as his heart broke into pieces, the full force of her words slammed into him. Slumping his shoulders, he turned around and returned to where his friends were waiting.

* * *

Akihiko grinned as he passed Junpei and climbed onto the dock. From observing Junpei do his thing – whatever it was – he had agreed with Minato that Junpei wouldn't last more than a minute. Truth be told, they were right; the show lasting for about thirty-eight seconds. It was disheartening to see that the self proclaimed 'master' was dispatched with such ease but it came as no surprise when Junpei returned empty handed. Akihiko was already skeptical of Junpei's prowess in picking up a girl, let alone flirting with her, and while he himself wasn't confident in his ability to charm a woman, he knew he could at least make the girl bat an eye at him.

At least.

"Hello there," Akihiko said as he approached the girl. "Say, what do you think about the ocean?"

"Is your question directed at me?" the girl replied in that same toneless voice. And without looking at him too.

"Yeah it is." When the girl did not answer, Akihiko wondered if this was what Junpei meant by 'tough one.' It must have been because he was sure that any other girl would have given him a response. _Maybe I should change the subject._ "Hey, are you into sports or anything?"

The girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye. While it wasn't enough to expose her face, Akihiko could already tell she was beautiful.

"Sports?" the girl repeated. "Why would I be into it?

"Well I just thought that with such a great figure, you'd work out or something," Akihiko said. "You know, I heard that tri-athletes who train at the beach perform better than those who practice indoors. Makes sense right?"

The girl returned her gaze to the ocean. It appeared as if she was considering this and for a moment, Akihiko thought she would turn to look at him directly and agree with him. Imagining her doing so was enough to jumpstart the triumphant feeling in his heart. _That's right guys. Who's the king now?_

"That type of information is irrelevant to me," the girl said.

The words whacked him in the face like a boxer's punch and Akihiko stood where he was, dumbfounded. Somewhere, he could hear the ringing of the bell that signaled the end of a boxing match.

_How appropriate._

* * *

It was seeing the failures of Junpei and Akihiko that reminded Minato to never allow either of them to be his wingman in a bar. A hypothetical bar of course. Until he figured out where Mitsuru lied on the relationship spectrum, there would be no excursions to find girls. A part of him felt that he was limiting his options by doing this but he ignored it. So what if he was limiting himself? The chance he would stumble across someone that he could connect with on the same level as Mitsuru was minute. If he included what he'd been through with her in _that_ hotel room, that chance was even smaller.

"No luck senpai?" Minato asked as Akihiko neared them.

"Unfortunately not," Akihiko said, shaking his head. He then smiled a little. "But I at least talked to her longer than Junpei did."

Junpei sighed and put the palm of his hand against his face. "It doesn't matter how long you talked to her! If you can't get her to come with you or at least get her number, then it's a lost cause!" Turning to Minato, he said, "Alright man. If you can't pull this off, I'm gonna be traumatized for the rest of my life."

"Aren't you being a little overdramatic about this?" Minato asked.

"Well I've got a right to! At least Akihiko-senpai has got his horde of girls and you...well you know what you've got. Meanwhile, I'm all alone here." Junpei uttered a strangled cry and wiped at his eyes.

"Wait, Minato's got someone already?" Akihiko asked.

Minato's heart plunged and looking to Junpei for moral support, he remembered why he decided against telling Akihiko. If the boxer learned there was something between him and Mitsuru, there was no telling what might happen, especially since Minato had no idea just how close his senpai were. He could just picture Akihiko beating him up though whatever physical pain he sustained from it, he knew it was nothing compared to speculating what Mitsuru might do. Not wanting to think about it any further, he shot Junpei a look that said 'Don't tell him anything.'

Junpei's response: 'I won't but you better win that girl over.' Then turning to Akihiko, he said, "Nah he doesn't have anyone. I just meant he's got the charisma. You know..."

Satisfied with Junpei's improvisation, Minato left for the dock. Once he was out of earshot, he looked back at them. And found that Akihiko was nodding. Minato was not sure whether it was at his 'charisma' or something else entirely but he guessed it didn't matter. Now that Junpei had done his part, he had to do his. He moved towards the girl, feeling the strong ocean breeze ruffle his hair and fill his mouth with the taste of sea salt, and thought hard about what he was going to say. Something about her appearance? How she was enjoying the island? The weather? Minato could not quite decide which of the three topics he liked more so when the girl turned around and faced him, he was glad.

Or was he?

Gazing into the girl's eyes, bright as the sky as they were, he noticed that they seemed to have widened. Not only that, she was looking at him directly. She hadn't done so when Junpei or Akihiko had approached her and knowing that made Minato suspicious. _She's just probably fed up of being hit on and is now going to tell me off._

"Sorry if my friends disturbed you," Minato said. "They haven't been able to get much action lately and thought maybe–" He cut off as the girl took a few steps towards him, raised her hand, and brushed away the fringe of hair covering his right eye. Minato was startled at her action – judging by the loud gasps of Akihiko and Junpei, they were as well – and retreated a few paces. "What are you doing?"

"You are the one," she said. "Yes, you are the one. I have finally found you." The girl approached him again but before she could show another sign of affection, she looked over his shoulder and tensed. "Hostiles detected. Initiating evasive maneuvers."

With the speed of an assassin, the girl jumped off the dock and darted into the forest.

* * *

Leading Fuuka and Mitsuru down the forest trail was tricky. Not in the sense that it was difficult in knowing which way to go, but in the trek itself. The path was uneven, with twigs, leaves and the thick soil masking what was otherwise flat ground. Twice Yukari had almost tripped, and twice she actually did. She was lucky neither Fuuka nor Mitsuru saw her the first time but the second time? Why they both saw that. It was embarrassing, and when Mitsuru helped her up, it became even more so once Yukari noticed the heel of her senpai's footwear was similar to that of those school boots she wore.

Sharp.

It amazed, and to some extent, annoyed Yukari that Mitsuru was able to walk with such grace in a place like this. Ashamed as she was of her clumsiness (and her jealousy – that tiny spark she really ought to put out), she supposed it was her punishment for not paying attention to where they were going in the first place. The trip to see the Jyomon-Cedar tree had been Fuuka's idea, and it was Fuuka who had dragged both her and Mitsuru along in the hopes of avoiding Junpei's maid obsession for one day. Instead of focusing on the hike, Yukari had followed Fuuka's zigzagging route without much thought and now, as she led them to the beach, her mind was still latched onto last night's revelation and Minato's words.

_Stay with us and fight_ he'd said. _Do it for him. _She felt stupid for not knowing what was an obvious answer and felt even worse that she had hurt him so. Here he was, risking his life and spending his time for the benefit of so many people, hers included, and all she had done in return was to give him a permanent injury. She knew he had done more things for Mitsuru but at least her senpai had the capability to repay him for his efforts. Giving him a prestigious position on the Student Council, keeping a close eye on him due to his Persona issues, saving his life when she had shot that arrow...

It was impossible to match that and although Minato probably didn't expect her to, the need for repayment remained. _There has to be something I can do for him. But what? _As she brainstormed for ideas, some realistic and others complete rubbish, it was then that she lost her footing to another sneaky tree root and fell onto her backside.

"Takeba! Are you okay?" Mitsuru asked, moving towards her and alerting Fuuka.

"I'm fine," Yukari said, rubbing her side. "I was just thinking too much and not paying attention to where I was walking." She laughed. "You'd think that they'd make it easier for people to see the tree by constructing some sort of walkway."

"Well this forest is a World Heritage site," Fuuka said, "so they can't have too many manmade things around. Maybe it's better if I lead the way."

"I think that might be best," Mitsuru said. She then held her hand out. "Here."

Yukari looked up at Mitsuru. She was hesitant in taking her senpai's hand since she could get up just fine by herself. In meeting Mitsuru's sincere gaze however, Yukari finally understood what the gesture meant. _She's trying to reach out to me. Even though I've been so rude to her, she's still trying. _Seeing Mitsuru's endeavor to make amends, Yukari took her hand. The moment she did was when it hit her. She didn't have to repay Minato by doing something for him. She could repay him by being someone whom Mitsuru could trust. A true friend. The idea was daunting since Yukari didn't know how one could become close to a person so perfect but, after everything that had happened with Junpei that night, she knew it was in her best interest.

"Thanks senpai," Yukari said as she stood up. "Guess I should've packed a pair of sneakers or something huh?"

"Maybe," Mitsuru said. "But none of us could have known in advance that we would be taking a walk here."

Yukari agreed. Their plan for avoiding Junpei had been a last minute decision, with Fuuka suggesting that the only place he would not bother to go was the forest. "Come to think of it, I've never seen you wear anything but heeled footwear. Is there a reason for that or do you just love heels?"

"Believe it or not, I'm only wearing them because my family stylist recommended it."

"You have a stylist?" Fuuka asked.

Mitsuru nodded. "Ever since my father deemed me ready to handle Group affairs about two years ago, I was appointed one. At the time, I never gave what I wanted to wear much thought and just went along with whatever was picked out for me. Thinking on it now though, I realize it's not practical to be wearing this," she gestured to her black heeled sandals, "all the time."

"Don't you have other things to wear?" Yukari asked. When Mitsuru shook her head, Yukari took her hand. "In that case, we are totally going shopping when we get back."

"Sh-Shopping?"

"Yeah. It'll be fun, just us girls. What do you say?"

Mitsuru looked to Fuuka then back to Yukari. "Well I suppose I can adjust my schedule to make time for it. Although, there's no telling on what my stylist will do with the clothes."

"Don't worry about that. We'll make sure to pick out stuff that suits you," Yukari said, letting go.

"I'll leave it in your hands then."

They continued their walk to the beach, the topic of their conversation drifting between what they would do tomorrow, and what they hoped to find during their shopping outing. Priding herself on keeping up with the latest trends, Yukari was astounded to hear of Mitsuru's apparent lack of a fashion sense. The claim puzzled her, especially since the clothes Mitsuru wore were often the most fashionable; her current outfit one that Yukari remembered seeing as part of...which summer collection was it again? Chanel? Prada? Versace? Looking over the white sleeveless turtleneck and slim black pants, and keeping a watchful eye on where she stepped, Yukari decided she would never figure it out. And if she had no idea, she was sure Mitsuru didn't either.

The fact her senpai had no brand preference or sense of what was trending posed a challenge. Which boutique or department store would they go to? Should they go after what was in season? What about the price? The questions were the same bunch that always disturbed her whenever she was about to update her wardrobe. But instead of falling into her habit of fussing over them, Yukari welcomed them. The outing after all, would be more than just shopping. It would be about spending time with Mitsuru, getting to know her, and understanding that she was not a perfect goddess – something she had built up in her head over the past few months – but just a normal girl with hopes and dreams like anyone else. It was hard to think of her senpai as the latter though Yukari knew she had to try. For herself. For Minato. And for S.E.E.S.

Emerging from the shade of the trees and into the sun's gaze, Yukari looked down both ends of the beach; Fuuka and Mitsuru doing the same. She had expected Junpei would be here (it was the only thing he had yapped about ever since coming to Yakushima so why wouldn't he?) so not finding him or the others disappointed her.

"I don't see them around," Fuuka said, placing a hand to block the sun out of her eyes. "Maybe they've already gone back to the mansion?"

"I doubt it," Yukari said, folding her arms. "Junpei's been wanting to come to the beach so I'm pretty sure he wouldn't..."

She trailed off as she noticed a girl in the distance, who was coming their way. The girl wasn't alone; on either side of her were another three figures. The group on the left were all dressed in white, while the group on the right–

Yukari blinked and, trying to stifle the imminent burst of laughter, turned her attention to Fuuka and Mitsuru. Unsurprisingly, they were both as stunned and amused as she was, shaking their heads as if someone had told the world's lamest joke. Finding it impossible to hold her amusement back any longer, Yukari laughed.

At least the vacation didn't go by without that.

* * *

Comedy was a word Mitsuru seldom thought of. The idea of laughing at a clever joke or someone else's misfortune? Who had the time for that? Considering the time she spent in dealing with her commitments, certainly not her. She supposed there were the odd happenings at school – Hidetoshi's interrogation crusade being one of the more memorable ones – though they were too few and far between. Even when they occurred, protocol dictated for her to resolve it in a professional manner. Not to stand back and admire the humor.

Mitsuru wondered if she was missing out on the joy such situations brought by being the facilitator – the one who cleaned up the mess without any thought about the essence of what made something comical. It was something that had been floating about in her mind for a while and the more she thought about it, the more she believed she was depriving herself of the simple pleasures found in the life of a student.

So when Yukari had pointed out the steadily approaching figures, and then began giggling upon identifying who they were (the ones on the right anyway), Mitsuru couldn't help but join her. After all, when would be the next time she saw Junpei, Akihiko and Minato in their swimwear, running after a girl as if she was the last female on the planet? _Probably never again. _The sight of such desperation was one she would never forget; the shaking of her sides from the contagious laughter another.

But, like all good things, it wasn't to last and her laughter ended as soon as she realized the group of people on the left were scientists of the Kirijo Group. _What would they be doing out here, chasing after that girl? It can't be for the same reason as the boys._ She thought long and hard, only to be frustrated that the answer continued to elude her. Making a mental vow never to mix laughter and deductive reasoning together again, Mitsuru then noticed there was something unusual with the girl in the sundress. It was not her appearance or the way she dashed across the sand with her arms swept back.

It was her behavior.

While they were still a fair distance away, Mitsuru saw that the girl had not once looked back at her pursuers. Had not once uttered a cry for help that she was being chased. No, she just kept her eyes forward and ran as if it was the most natural thing to do. Her complete disregard of the six figures behind her was perplexing, and Mitsuru only understood what it meant when she recalled the earlier discussion she had with Ikutsuki.

_A robot has left the Kirijo Group lab. The Chairman notified us of it. And now there are scientists chasing after this girl who isn't displaying human traits. There's no doubt about it. This girl has to be our anti-Shadow weapon. _

"I hate to be the one to stop the festivities but stay on your guard," Mitsuru said, drawing Yukari and Fuuka's giggles to a close. "If I'm not mistaken, that girl who is being chased is the robot my father and the Chairman are looking for."

"Are you sure of that senpai?" Yukari asked.

"I'm certain of it. Otherwise, it wouldn't make any sense for Kirijo Group workers to be outside of the lab dressed in their uniform."

Yukari and Fuuka looked towards the oncoming horde, who were now about a hundred meters away from them, and noted their attire of white lab coats.

"Yeah you're right Mitsuru-senpai," Fuuka said. She frowned. "In that case, Minato and the others are chasing after her because..."

"...because Junpei is being stupid as usual," Yukari finished for her. "Come on, we have to stop her from getting away."

They all then prepared to intercept the girl. As they stood waiting, Mitsuru doubted any of them would be able to keep the girl contained. What could they do to stop a robot anyway? Without their weapons or Evokers, they were powerless. And even if they were armed, they would still be at a disadvantage. Personas were an exclusive attraction to the Dark Hour and their weapons, well, they would be ineffective against a target who could fire projectiles. Mitsuru hadn't delved into the specifics of the anti-Shadow weapons that were developed but, she knew that they were outfitted with live ammunition for the sole purpose of dealing with large groups of Shadows. Whether they were able to distinguish friend from foe, Mitsuru didn't know and the possibility that this model carried blanks was unable to alleviate her concerns.

_Twenty-five meters left. Twenty. Fifteen. What do we do? Think. Think._ _Th-_

Her thoughts halted as the girl stopped in front of her, leaned forward, and gazed into her eyes.

"Identification verified," the girl said after a few seconds. And then, to Yukari and Fuuka's surprise, the girl continued, "You are Kirijo Mitsuru, daughter of Kirijo Takeharu, heir to the Kirijo Group, and best friend of Arisato Minato. I have been–"

"Finally! She stopped running," Junpei said as he, Minato, Akihiko and the scientists arrived and gathered around.

The two groups then looked at each other (for the first time by the looks of it); one trying to figure out why a bunch of scientists would be chasing after a girl, the other trying to figure out why a bunch of teenage boys were chasing after a robot. The befuddlement on their faces was almost enough to send Mitsuru back into the realms of laughter – what prevented her from going was the robot's claim. How could it, or she, know her identity? More importantly, when, where and how did the robot learn of her friendship with Minato? Mitsuru was sure she had never come into contact with this robot (girl) before.

_Maybe she has just been programmed with a set of outdated data. But if that's the case, why would it need such trivial information of me being Arisato's best friend? That's so unnecessary. _

The thoughts were as puzzling as figuring out why the scientists were on the beach, and Mitsuru was pulled out of them when _it_ started.

"What are you boys doing?" one of the scientists asked.

"More like what the hell are you guys doing runnin' around the beach in your lab coats?" Junpei responded.

"We're trying to recover a runaway robot," another scientist said before being elbowed in the gut by his companion.

"Hey, don't leak information to these people. It's classified," the third scientist said.

"Robot?" Akihiko said, frowning and folding his arms. "There's no robot here. Just this extremely attractive girl who you guys scared off."

"Actually, it's Minato who scared her off," Junpei said, turning to face the blue haired boy. "I didn't get to say this earlier but what the hell dude?! You were supposed to charm her, not make her run across the friggin' beach like a ninja. Have you forgotten our deal already?"

Mitsuru wondered why Minato would do such a thing (after his display of affection in the ward) when she noticed the three scientists huddle together, perhaps considering whether it was prudent to play along with the boys' understanding of the girl in the sundress being just a girl in a sundress. Fed up with misunderstandings, she stepped forward and cleared her throat, shooting both groups a sharp eye. The scientists and the boys turned to look at her; the only person able to meet her gaze was Minato. He looked apologetic.

"Sorry senpai," Junpei said, placing a hand behind his head and smiling sheepishly. "But I swear we were only trying to befriend her."

"I second that," Akihiko added.

Mitsuru ran her eyes over the two of them (never had she been so disappointed in Akihiko), before turning her attention onto the scientists.

"L-Lady Mitsuru," the scientist who had spoken first earlier said. He gave a slight bow and gestured for his colleagues to do the same. "We didn't see you there. We heard your father contacted you to find Aigis and fearing you might not run into her, he instructed us to help you. Now that she's here, would you like us to take her back to the lab for you?"

Mitsuru shook her head and whipped out her cell phone. "It's fine. I can take it from here."

The name rang a bell in Mitsuru's mind, though the only thing she heard from every member of S.E.E.S. sans Minato on the walk back to the mansion was: "Who's Aigis?"

* * *

"I am Aigis, the Seventh Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon."

Late at night that same day, Minato leaned on the armrest of a couch in the lounge and watched the Chairman help the 'girl' introduce herself to the others, who, with the exception of Mitsuru, were all standing around her. Without the blue sundress, Aigis' figure was even more slim; the shape of the white armor plating that was her torso and limbs imitating that of a runway model. It was no wonder that Junpei and Akihiko were smitten by her though Minato's interest was held by her words.

_You are the one_.

Aigis had repeated this several times within the last few hours. When they regrouped with Ikutsuki and Takeharu, during their quick visit to the Kirijo labs, and on the way back to the mansion where stories of what happened today were exchanged – Yukari taking every opportunity to mock Junpei's idiocy of trying to pick up girls on the beach, and Junpei taking every opportunity to mock Yukari's clumsiness. She had said those four words every time and Minato judged she would not stop anytime soon. While the meaning remained unclear, it was enough to further irritate Junpei and Akihiko, and make Yukari and Fuuka raise their eyebrows. He found it difficult to guess what effect it had on Mitsuru but was sure having a robot display such affection would at least send her mixed signals.

For better or worse.

"...created ten years ago to combat uncontrollable Shadows," Ikutsuki was saying. "Aigis was the last to be made and is the only one that still remains today."

"You mean there were more?" Fuuka asked.

"Well yes. But they've all been deactivated due to the potential danger they posed to the general public. Can you imagine the amount of destruction a battle between them and the Shadows would cause?"

Junpei folded his arms. "That makes sense. Man, she's so cute but...she's a robot."

"At least we figured that out before we did anything," Akihiko said, and Junpei nodded. "So if she can fight Shadows, does that mean she has a Persona?"

Aigis stepped forward. "Yes, I am capable of operating the Persona 'Palladion'. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"That won't be necessary Aigis," Ikutsuki said before shifting his gaze back to everyone. "In any case, my humblest apologies for ruining your day. We're still looking into why she suddenly reactivated herself this morning but it might be a while before we find an answer. In the meantime, you'll be happy to hear that her assignment to S.E.E.S. is permanent and effective immediately."

"That's awesome!" Junpei said. He sighed. "Now I don't have to work so hard."

"Typical," Yukari muttered.

"Hey, I heard that!"

Yukari ignored him. "By the way, is there a reason she keeps telling Minato he's the one?"

Ikutsuki place a hand on his chin. "Perhaps her identification system is malfunctioning. Or maybe she's still half-asleep. She's been dormant for so long that anything's possible."

"I can tell you that all my systems are functional," Aigis said.

"I agree with her," Mitsuru said, standing up and crossing over to where everyone was gathered. "She was able to correctly identify me back at the beach."

"Well there has to be something that is not quite right," Ikutsuki said. He turned to Aigis. "Are you completely sure everything is running as normal?"

"If it pleases you, I will run a system scan," Aigis said. "However, there is no guarantee of success in finding the answer to your concern. I do not know myself why I activated today or why I am saying these things but I do know that," she walked to where Minato was standing," my highest priority is to be at Minato-san's side."

Minato stiffened as she rested her head against his chest and felt his friends shoot him a variety of looks: astonishment, jealousy, confusion. He would later forget these looks in favor of the one that grabbed his heart. Twisted it. And make him feel as if he had just cheated.


	25. Horizon

**A/N: And here's another update, this time closing out the Yakushima arc and paving the way for the final summer chapters, of which there'll be four. A bit of backstory, I had planned this chapter quite a while ago so when it came down to writing it, I thought it was going to be easy. Turns out, the story has a mind of its own and what you're about to read is pretty much a completely different version to what it was initially. **

**As a side note, one of my readers requested for more Takeharu so I've incorporated him here to give him more scenes. To that reader, and you know who you are, I hope you like what I've done with him. **

**For everyone else, enjoy!**

* * *

Minato watched the crab scurry across the sand. He probably looked weird, squatting and teasing the crab with a small stick, but he didn't care for whoever glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. It was the last day at Yakushima and it was time to do something unorthodox. Much had happened over the last two days and he'd already had his fill of ogling random girls in bikinis, asking them out, and then failing in making any sort of connection. He couldn't understand how Junpei and Akihiko were still at it; their voices and intermittent slaps drifting along the wind and into his ears. He guessed it had something to with them unable to get over how he had courted Aigis so easily, and how she had reciprocated a high amount of affection. Either way, their sounds made for an amusing addition to the background accompaniment of sloshing waves as he followed the crab's movements.

"Hey Minato!"

He turned and found Yukari, Fuuka, Aigis and Mitsuru walking towards him. Bidding a mental farewell to the crab (who was soon taken by the tide) he stood up and tried not to stare at them as if he were Junpei. His succeeded to some extent, managing a perfunctory glance at Yukari's pink bikini and denim short shorts, Fuuka's green two-piece, Aigis' sundress and–

_Nope._

He had expected no less when it came to how well Mitsuru could pull off an outfit and seeing the contrast of her hair and the pearl-white bikini she wore made Minato reminisce. Of the time on Moonlight Bridge where captivation had beaten the crap out of him, but especially of the time in the hotel room where she was dressed in something similar and seductive. He didn't know how long he spent admiring her, and comparing which two-piece she looked better in, until Aigis moved to stand in front of him.

"Is something the matter, Minato-san?" she asked.

"N-Nothing's wrong Aigis," he said, snapping out of his trance.

"Are you sure? My system detects that your body temperature, pulse, and breathing are all operating at–"

Whatever she spoke next was muted by yells. Pivoting, Minato saw Junpei and Akihiko running in his direction and away from a…girl? Or was it a woman? As they neared him and the girls, Minato noticed their pursuer was in fact, a woman. A pretty curvy one at that too. He wondered what Junpei and Akihiko could have said to attract her attention, as well as ending up as the victims, and was glad that he declined their offer to continue Operation 'Babe Hunt'.

"Where are you boys going?" the woman asked, stopping to catch her breath as Junpei and Akihiko did the same. She winked at them. "Mama needs her sugar you know."

Junpei and Akihiko exchanged glances. Saw Minato standing with the girls. And then rushed to his side.

"Dude, you gotta do something," Junpei said. "Make her go away."

"I thought you guys were better at that than me," Minato said, a smile creeping on his face.

"Apparently not," Akihiko said. "C'mon, help us out here."

"Fine."

Minato approached the woman, who was dressed in a black one-piece, and made sure to avoid losing himself in her generous bosom. It was difficult, and the way she placed her arms beneath her breasts didn't make it any easier. He knew he had to do it though. Yukari was watching him. Fuuka and Aigis were watching him. And most importantly, Mitsuru was watching him. While it was all in genuine interest of observing how he would handle the situation, he knew they were all assessing to see if he too was an A-class pervert. The girls not named Aigis anyway.

"Ooh, now here's a boy with balls," the woman said. "You're not going to run away from me too are you sweetie?"

"No I'm not running away," Minato said. "I just wanted to tell you that my friends here were just messing around. You see, they already have girlfriends." All of his friends uttered a sound that one makes whenever something unbelievable is heard and Minato held back the temptation to laugh.

The woman eyed Yukari and the others before focusing her gaze on Junpei and Akihiko. "Is that right? Well then you two should be ashamed of yourselves. Toying with a girl's heart is a big no no. But I guess I'll let your girlfriends punish you instead." She approached Minato and placed a hand on his left cheek. "So how about you handsome? Are you taken as well?"

Minato hesitated in answering. He could have told her that yes, he was taken but when it came to articulating his response, it was as if he had just undergone a dental operation – his throat constricted, his mouth frozen, his jaw locked. The uncertainty of whether Mitsuru knew he was bluffing had him in its grip, and one wrong move would confuse her even more than the affection Aigis had displayed yesterday.

"Yes."

Minato looked at the girls behind him. The answer wasn't his. It wasn't Mitsuru's either for that matter.

No, the answer belonged to Aigis.

"Yes, he is taken," Aigis repeated, walking over to Minato and pulling him away from the woman's touch.

"That's a shame," the woman said, sighing. "And just when I thought I could snag myself a little boy toy. Oh well, at least you're loyal. If you do decide you want to try something a little spicier though, you know where to find me."

She winked at Minato and walked off.

* * *

The sun reached its zenith by the time Minato walked to where his friends were, Aigis beside him the entire time. Junpei and Akihiko were impressed by his quick actions, while Yukari and Fuuka were embarrassed at the thought of being in a relationship, even a hypothetical one, with the aforementioned boys. Minato had heard their gasps and the disgust on their faces reinforced how unpleasant having either Junpei or Akihiko as a boyfriend would be.

Well, he supposed it was more likely the former than the latter.

Mitsuru on the other hand didn't seem bothered by it at all. Perhaps it was because the idea was so zany, so stupid, and so impossible to envision happening. Or perhaps she didn't understand (she was a bit slow when it came to these things). Whatever the case, seeing her smile in amusement lifted Minato's spirits. _So she knew I was bluffing. _

"Wow, I can't believe she actually bought that," Junpei said.

"I can't believe that you're still mucking around like this," Yukari said, taking a step forward.

"Well what else were we supposed to do, waiting for you to change?"

"I don't know, go to the gym maybe? Akihiko-senpai was all over that before you convinced him otherwise."

"Eh, there'll be plenty of time for that when we get back home. Senpai and I just had a little score to settle that we didn't get around to finishing yesterday." Junpei turned to Akihiko, pretending not to hear Yukari mumbling about how he wouldn't go to the gym in normal circumstances. "You wanna call it a draw?"

Akihiko nodded, trying to avoid Mitsuru's disappointed gaze. "I'm happy with that. But I think Minato is still the clear winner regardless."

"Nah, yesterday doesn't count," Junpei said.

"How about today?" Minato asked. "I did get along pretty well with Mrs. Crazy over there."

Junpei folded his arms. "Fine, you win. Happy?"

"Guess so."

"C'mon dude, at least act like you're happy. Three days here and I didn't even get to score once. Man, it's too bad we're going home tomorrow. I'd totally like to stay longer."

"Well at least summer break is only a few days away," Fuuka said.

"It's not gonna be the same thing," Junpei said. "A holiday there is nothing compared to a holiday here."

"And why's that?" Yukari asked.

Junpei smirked as he eyed the girls up and down. "Because here, we get to see you in your swimsuits!"

Minato shook his head and walked away from Junpei's evaluation of the girls' outfits. He didn't need to see what was going on; Junpei's interrupted commentary, Fuuka's quick dash to hide behind Yukari, who was scolding, and the lack of participation from both his senpai telling him it was already a bigger failure than Operation 'Babe Hunt'. Maybe even more, since he knew the girls were unforgiving and tired of this behaviour.

"Minato-san, why are they all arguing?" Aigis asked.

"They're just having fun," Minato said. He looked to where they were and saw everyone had gathered around Mitsuru – Yukari and Fuuka remarking about how flawless her skin was, Junpei in complete awe at her figure and muttering something about true beauty, Akihiko just nodding in agreement. He caught Mitsuru's eyes for a moment, and seeing her blush from all the compliments she was presumably receiving (Minato thought what they were both wearing and its implications had something to do with it as well), made his heart skip a beat. Returning his attention to Aigis, he continued, "You'll get used to this once you start living with us."

"Understood. In that case, shall we join them?"

* * *

A few hours later, Minato got out of the water and returned to the trio of pool chairs that were hiding underneath a pair of umbrellas. Grabbing a folded towel off the middle chair, he dried himself and noticed Mitsuru was on her way to do the same. Nervousness clutched his chest as he realised this would be the first time they'd been alone together since the ward.

"Had enough of the water?" Minato asked, passing a towel to her.

Mitsuru took it, sat down and dried her hair. "I think it's more to do with Iori's questionable behaviour. The fact Akihiko is thinking like him doesn't make it any better either." She then gave him a suspicious yet concerned look. "You're not thinking like them as well are you?"

Minato hung the towel around the nape of his neck. It would be wrong to say that he hadn't – after all, he had admired her on more than one occasion. Maybe not from the perspective of Junpei or Akihiko, but definitely in one that could be considered similar.

"I'd be lying to you if I said I didn't," Minato said, sitting down beside her. "I wouldn't worry about it too much. I mean, it's in a guy's nature to do things like this. Probably not to Junpei's extent but close enough."

"I see," Mitsuru said. "Well, as long as you know where the boundaries are then I suppose I can't hold anything against you. That being said, I guess we've more or less hit those boundaries."

Minato nodded and they sat in silence for the next few minutes, watching the others frolic in the water. He knew exactly what she meant by that and wondered how much of it still troubled her. The last time they had spoken of such matters was, well, back in the hotel. In the days that followed, the opportunities to talk were scarce. He was held up at the hospital and then later knocked out for another three days. She was busy with her commitments and covering his Student Council duties. There was just no time. Even if he tried asking again now, he knew he would be interrupted yet again anyway.

_Ah what the hell. If Junpei should run back here then so be it._

"By the way Arisato, was there something you wanted to tell me?" Mitsuru asked as she turned to look at him.

"Tell you?" he repeated, shocked at her assertiveness.

"Yes. Before your incident with Iori that is."

_Before my incident with– Well there goes my hopes_. He felt silly in thinking that she was referring to their moment in the ward and chuckled to release some of his embarrassment. "Oh that. No I was thinking about what Ikutsuki, and now, Yukari's father, meant about killing those twelve Shadows."

"Did something about it concern you?"

"Mainly about what would happen when we defeat them. I know we've been told it'll bring an end to the Dark Hour but, and I don't mean to scare you, let's say for a moment it doesn't. Let's say there'll be more Shadows representing Arcanas after the twelfth one. What do we do then? Keep fighting until we've exhausted all the Arcana in a tarot deck?"

He stopped there and waited to hear her thoughts. Her face didn't pale like before, Minato noted, as if she had been expecting something thought provoking from him.

"You raise quite the questions Arisato," Mitsuru said, folding her arms with a light laugh. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure what to say. Weren't you confident in what your Personas told you about how there would only be twelve Shadows?"

"I was but now…I'm not so sure. Guess we'll have to see what happens."

He looked over her shoulder, spying someone walk down the trail that connected the mansion to the beach. The person looked familiar, dressed in attire more professional than that of a maid, and when she arrived, Minato recalled where he had seen her.

"Greetings milady," Kikuno said. Noticing that the two had been in the middle of a conversation, she added, "Oh, I'm not interrupting something am I?"

They both shook their heads.

"In that case, I've come to inform you that the preparations are ready."

"Excellent," Mitsuru said, standing up.

"Preparations?" Minato asked, also getting to his feet. "For what?"

"For you."

* * *

Two thoughts kept Minato occupied as he followed Mitsuru and Kikuno up the trail and into the mansion. The first was what they meant by 'preparations'. The second? Why just how many rooms did the mansion have? Minato had attempted to keep his curiosity of this at bay but it wasn't long before he began counting each door they passed. His count reached thirty, then fifty, then a number he no longer remembered. Partly because he was sure he counted at least one door more than once. Mostly because he had started too late and by then, he had missed at least fifteen doors or so. The activity wasn't without its merits however, being more fun than following the two ladies in silence. Mitsuru was keen on avoiding his questions and as Minato learned, so was Kikuno. _It's like the time in her limousine all over again._

Once they arrived in front of the mansion's central meeting room, Kikuno opened the door and signalled for them to enter. Hearing the door click shut behind him, Minato examined the room. A boat-shaped conference table about five feet wide and sixteen foot long stood flanked with black chairs stood before him, while an LCD screen hung on the wall at the far end. It was like something out of a movie, or one of those legal shows, and the corporate vibe he felt became even stronger when he saw Takeharu seated.

Minato swallowed hard. Why was he brought to face Takeharu? Was there something he'd done?

To Aigis?

To Mitsuru?

A host of scenarios exploded in his mind and glancing at Mitsuru for reassurance, he now understood why Kikuno had told them both to get changed.

"I know this seems intimidating but don't worry. You're not in trouble," Mitsuru said. She gestured for Minato to follow her and they crossed to where Takeharu was, Kikuno bringing up the rear.

It was then that he noticed the two silver objects placed on the table; one of them a familiar briefcase, the other a longer rectangular case. Minato couldn't believe he did not see them upon entering but he supposed it was hard to pay attention to his surroundings when Mitsuru's father cast such an impending presence.

"Kirijo-san," Minato said, bowing.

Takeharu inclined his head and got up. "Sorry to bring you here on such short notice. I would have arranged for this meeting to be at our main office, or even your dormitory, but given the circumstances, here will have to suffice."

Minato found his eyes drawn to the two cases. Although he could make an educated guess of their contents, he was itching to know what was inside. And the meaning of this meeting. "It's not a problem. What did you want to discuss sir?"

"Firstly, your Personas. To be more specific, your ability to wield more than one."

"You found something out?"

Takeharu nodded. "We ran some tests while you were being treated here at Yakushima. While we were unable to figure out exactly how you're able to do it, we were able to confirm that it is related to your emotions. If you're in a good mood, the power will come naturally to you. If you're irritated or angry, then you will have difficulties in controlling it. But, you already know this correct?"

"Well it was Mitsuru-senpai's theory."

"Yes and her assumption is the basis of our study. What you may not know is that within your collective unconscious exists a unique, singular entity that is different from the Personas you can summon. In other words, it is the being responsible for your two incidents, and possibly your enhanced abilities."

Minato held Takeharu's gaze, understanding what was being referenced. But concluding that the rampant Persona, if it was a Persona, was the reason for his ability to wield more than one at a time? _It doesn't seem quite right. Igor told me that…that…what did he say again?_ Minato thought back to the time he saw the long-nosed man talk about this and remembered surprisingly little. Something about the number zero, emotional ties, and a bunch of other things that made no sense. There was nothing, as far as he could recall, about another entity.

"Do you think it could be a Shadow?" Minato asked.

He heard Mitsuru and Kikuno gasp beside him.

"I won't go as far to say that just yet," Takeharu said. He retained his calm composure though Minato noted that the question left him looking pained, as if that was the last thing he wanted to believe. "As I've stated, we are not certain what it is. It could be a Shadow, or it could be a Persona too strong for you to control. Whatever it is, it exists, and it exists to protect you." He checked his watch and gestured for Kikuno to ready the cases. "Anyway, I shall leave the matter here. If there are any developments, I will inform both you and Mitsuru."

Minato nodded. "So what was the other thing? I heard something about preparations?"

His question was met with a smile. It was the first time Minato – and Mitsuru if his peripheral vision served him – saw Takeharu in such a mood.

"The preparations were in regards to these." Takeharu indicated at the two cases. "Originally, they were to be delivered to the dormitory. After your incident however, Mitsuru decided it would be best to do it this way."

At this, Kikuno opened the briefcase and took out a familiar silver item. It came as no surprise that it was a new Evoker, though he didn't expect to receive one so soon. Or in a manner like this.

"We considered your injury Minato-san," Kikuno said as she passed him the Evoker, "and as the movement of your left arm is limited, we made this particular model to fit your right hand."

Minato tested the grip, curling his index finger around the trigger. As comfortable and perfect as it was, using his right hand felt alien to him. There was only one time he had done so – namely using Yukari's Evoker – and that was nothing compared to the hundred and fifty plus times he had used his left. Still, he couldn't complain and with his left arm out of action, it was a respectable solution. He turned to Mitsuru, feeling a warm sensation rise in his chest. _She always knows. _

"When did you get around organising something like this?" Minato asked, placing the Evoker back into its case.

"When you were in hospital," Mitsuru said. "Is it okay?"

"It's perfect. But I'll need some time to adjust."

Mitsuru smiled and walked over to stand by the longer case. "In that case, this should make you feel right at home." She opened and turned it around for Minato to see.

A sabre rested in the case, its curved blade immaculate, its knuckle bow intricate. Minato noticed that the blade itself was of a darker shade of grey and when he took it out to feel its weight, his eyes widened. This sabre wasn't made from ordinary steel. This was…

"Damascus?" Minato said. He blinked several times to ensure he was really looking at the blade's wavy surface and not some cheap knockoff you could find at a knife seller's stand in a market. After the third or fourth time, he peeled his eyes away from the exquisite pattern – which reminded him of flowing water – and looked at Mitsuru. She was beaming. "How…did you…I mean…"

The words came out as a jumbled mess and not wanting to embarrass himself further in Takeharu's presence, Minato closed his mouth.

"That sabre was forged by an associate of ours who now works at Shinshoudo Antiques," Takeharu said, still smiling. "I'm impressed you recognised it as Damascus immediately."

Minato didn't know what to say. He had expected the 'preparations' had something to with him undertaking a physical or mental assessment. Some sort of test on his Personas and emotions maybe. He never would have thought it meant receiving a new Evoker _and_ a blade that took countless hours to forge. Before he could ask why he deserved this, Takeharu went ahead and explained for him. The rising feeling of indebtedness was eliminated instantly and Minato discovered that the second reason was something he had known all along.

* * *

"So was I right?"

Takeharu turned to Kikuno, who was closing the cases. The nostalgic wave that swept over him upon seeing Minato and his daughter communicating so well should have made him happy. It should have. Instead, it left the taste of ambiguity behind, the kind where you were supportive yet sceptical of a loved one's decision in a partner. _No, not a partner. A best friend. Their bond is nothing more than that._

"I suppose you are," Takeharu said. He grabbed the cigar out of his jacket's breast pocket, lighted it, and smoked a few puffs.

"You shouldn't worry about her so much," Kikuno said. "She isn't that little girl anymore. Besides, you know he would never do anything to hurt her."

"It's not him that I'm worried about. It's that entity living in him. While his incident didn't produce any casualties, there's no guarantee that the next time will follow suit. "

"You really believe there will be a next time?"

Takeharu didn't answer.

* * *

Figuring out where things were in the mansion was impossible. Minato thought himself competent in not getting lost but regardless of how many times he was escorted through hallways he was sure he'd been in before, he could not pinpoint their exact location with any accuracy. Being unable to generate a mental map – like the one he had done for Gekkoukan and even Iwatodai – made him feel as if he was exploring Tartarus without Fuuka. The irritated expression must have been apparent on his face because he could feel Mitsuru looking at him curiously.

"Come to think of it, I haven't shown you around have I?" Mitsuru asked as they made their way back to the beach. The golden shine of the late afternoon sun had breached the windows of the hallway they were currently passing through, and she held up a hand to shield her eyes from the glare.

"You could tell?" Minato asked, stopping in his tracks and turning in her direction.

Mitsuru nodded. "How about it? At the very least, it'll reduce the amount of time we spend facing Iori's nonsense."

Minato agreed and for the next twenty minutes, he followed her around the mansion. Mitsuru played the role of tour guide well, explaining more about the mansion's history, antiques such as the display of Japanese dolls that had been in the Kirijo family for generations (she had talked about that in great detail), and why Yakushima was chosen. The tour reminded him of the one Yukari did for him at school, albeit on a level that was miles ahead in both information and sights. Having no one stare at him as if he were an alien was another plus too; there was nobody around apart from the several maids that were going about their business. Even then, the maids greeted them with courtesy and respect, never trying to intrude or pepper him with silly questions.

There was someone watching him through the tour's entirety though. Watching his reactions and listening to what he said as they came to certain areas or inspected certain objects of interest. It didn't occur to him until he reached the foyer, where a hazy memory began its playback.

He heard the reverberating thumps of footsteps on the tiled floor. The sound of laughter rising and falling. People calling other people whose name started with the letter M. Or was it N? He couldn't quite tell and before he could settle on a decision, he was overridden by more laughter and thumping.

Minato looked at Mitsuru when the playback finished and meeting her inquisitive gaze, he realised she was the one who was observing him. He didn't understand. Was this tour some kind of test she had set up with her father and Kikuno? To watch for any side effects? _But I'm not in a bad mood or anything. So that's wrong._

Then what? That the maids they encountered, of which there were five, were secretly instructed to observe and later report to Takeharu about how he treated Mitsuru? While he admitted some of them eyed him the way Kikuno had two days ago, the idea bordered on the ludicrous.

_Kirijo-san wouldn't go that far. The saber is proof that he trusts me and acknowledges my ability. _

"Is something on your mind senpai?" he asked, stomping on his rising paranoia.

"No I was just thinking back to when I first visited here," Mitsuru said, shaking her head lightly.

"Was that for a business trip?"

"Actually, no. The first trip was purely for a vacation. And to make me believe that we did have such a home." She chuckled, looked away, and stared at a nearby painting. "Those were wonderful times. Anyway, I think that should about cover it. We should get back to the others."

It was nearing sunset when they left the mansion and headed down the trail leading to the beach. The wind had picked up considerably since their departure earlier and Minato was glad he wasn't walking out here wet and in his board shorts.

"Thanks again for going to the trouble of arranging those weapons," he said as they reached the end of the trail. "I'm sure you must've had your hands full."

"It was no trouble at all," she said, brushing the strands of hair out of her eyes. "As my father said, you earned it. Not to mention I need you to be as prepared as possible for the next full moon. Speaking of that, will you be alright in handling everything with one arm?"

"I'll figure something out. I always do. Besides, it's not like this," he raised his left arm slightly, "is completely useless."

Mitsuru smiled. "Okay then. I just wanted to make sure. If you ever want to practice, don't hesitate to ask me."

Nodding, Minato turned in the direction where he heard his name being called and saw the others – Junpei in particular jumping and waving his hands – beckoning for them to come over.

Minato and Mitsuru did.

"Hey, where'd you two go?" Junpei asked when they arrived. He and the others had all changed back into their normal clothes as well, and were out here enjoying the sights of the beach one last time.

"To the mansion," Minato said. He noticed Junpei's did-you-get-to-ask-her-and-how'd-it-go look and added, "It was for a check-up on my arm and a couple of other things. The verdict on whether it'll heal back to normal is still unclear though."

Junpei nodded, taking the hint. "Ah. Sorry to hear that man."

"There's still a chance it could get better right?" Fuuka asked.

"Maybe," Minato said. "We'll just have to see. In the meantime, it looks like you guys will have to do most of the work."

"That's fine by me. It's only fun when there's more Shadows to fight," Akihiko said, oblivious to Mitsuru's sigh.

"There's already so many Shadows and you want more?" Junpei said. "Seriously?"

"What's with that attitude Junpei?" Yukari asked. "Didn't you always say you wanted to fight more?"

"Yeah but I was only talking about the weak Shadows."

Minato smiled and turned to Mitsuru and Aigis, who were both standing beside him. There was no need for them to say anything. He knew Aigis would always be watching him. And he knew Mitsuru would be there for him, just as he had done for her.

Minato looked out at the horizon. Above it, splashes of yellow, orange and pink blotted the sky as the sun snuggled behind the blanket of clouds. Below it, the sea continued its churning motion. The seven of them stood there until dusk, watching the sun steadily sink until it was swallowed by the sea and all that remained was the afterglow.

The sight was one Minato cherished. Only one other sight brought out the same feeling and it would be sometime later.

When she gave him an answer.


	26. Normality

**A/N: So here's the first of the final four summer chapters. I wanted to cover a lot of things here, including the induction of S.E.E.S.' Hama and Mudo specialists, so that's why it's a bit longer than usual. If you're getting anxious for some Minato and Mitsuru shipping, all I can say we're getting close to the next milestone in their relationship. **

**Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

There was nothing better than returning to the comfort of your own bed. It was a topic that had mutual agreement among everyone in S.E.E.S. and the moment Minato plopped onto his bed in the dorm, he fell straight into a dreamless sleep. It wasn't that the beds in the mansion were bad. Plush, wide, and white as a wedding dress, they represented luxury at its highest levels. Such luxury however couldn't compensate for the homely atmosphere provided by the firm mattress of his single bed.

At least, that's what he thought before dawn arrived.

On any other normal day, he would have been roused by the light of the morning sun pouring through his windows, followed by the cheery chirping of the birds outside and then the dreaded ringing of his alarm clock.

Today was different.

Today, he was shaken awake.

Opening his eyes, Minato rolled on his back and found himself inches away from a pair of brilliant blue eyes.

"It is morning," Aigis said. "I would like you to wake up now."

Minato craned his neck to view his alarm clock. "But it's not even half past six yet."

"There's a sign that says 'Do things five minutes earlier.' By that logic, I thought I should wake you up five minutes prior to the triggering of your alarm clock."

_Too many big words. Too early._

"It's Friday. That rule doesn't apply."

He pulled his blue and green checked pattern blanket over him (although it was the middle of summer, the air conditioning made it a comfortable twenty-three degrees Centigrade) in the hope of deterring Aigis from shaking him. As he expected, it was to no avail. Aigis continued to shake him, tell him to get up and get ready for a period of time that felt much longer than five minutes. Somewhere along that time-span, there was a knock at his door, followed by said door opening after whoever was behind it didn't receive an answer. Aigis stopped shaking at this and Minato thanked the heavens it was over.

"Aigis!?"

The high voice was all too familiar and Minato suppressed a groan. _I was wrong. It isn't over._

Yukari stormed into the room, her sweet scent so strong it made Minato wrinkle his nose under the blanket. "How did you get in here?"

"I can disable a lock on a door like this in less than two minutes," Aigis said. She turned and resumed shaking Minato.

"That's breaking and entering! Didn't we tell you to stay in the command room at night?" When Aigis ignored her, Yukari seized her arm and pulled her back. "Hey listen to me! Senpai was worried when they found you weren't there this morning."

"Is that a problem?"

"Of course it is! If people find out an armed robot is living here, they're gonna freak out." Yukari folded her arms. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"My duty is to be by Minato-san's side. Therefore, I believe that the best place for me to be is right here. Is this acceptable?"

_Please say no, _Minato thought. _Please say no._

"Wh-What? No it's not acceptable! It's against dorm regulations." Yukari looked at Minato, who was now completely hidden under his blanket. "Well don't just lie there, tell her!"

"Tell who what?" another voice asked. It was Junpei, and upon walking over to stand by Minato's doorway, he gasped. "H-Hey dude! Why's Yuka-tan and Ai-chan in your room?"

Minato sighed. _First day back and the already the chaos has started. _"I don't know! I was just trying to sleep in!"

"Don't get any wrong ideas!" Yukari said, grabbing the android by the arm. "I'm in here because Aigis left the command room last night. And we're about to leave. Aren't we Aigis?"

Aigis looked at Yukari, the figure under the blanket, then back to Yukari. "But Minato-san has not gotten up yet."

"Hey don't worry about it Ai-chan," Junpei said, taking a step into the room. "He'll get up when he gets up. For now, you guys better haul your asses out of here before Mitsu–"

"Iori? What seems to be the matter?"

Junpei spun to see Mitsuru approaching him and he slammed the door shut. "No-Nothing's the matter. Aigis isn't here or anything."

From behind the door: "That is incorrect. I am here in Minato-san's room."

Mitsuru raised an eyebrow at Junpei's lie and gesturing for him to step aside, she opened the door and found Yukari attempting to prevent Aigis from disturbing Minato. It didn't seem the archer was having much success so Mitsuru walked over (click and clack) and broke the two up.

"So this is where you disappeared off to Aigis," Mitsuru said, causing both girls to turn around and face her.

"Good morning Mitsuru-san," Aigis said, paying no attention to Yukari's flustered expression. "Will you assist me in waking up Minato-san?"

Knowing the matter would never be let go and feeling Mitsuru's eye on him, Minato threw the blanket off and sat on the bed upright. He stared at the floor, in no mood to meet anyone's eyes, but also because after spending a few minutes in darkness, the light was a trifle blinding.

"Okay I'm up," he said. "Now can you not shake me anymore Aigis?"

"Of course Minato-san. Mission accomplished."

Yukari shook her head. "You know Minato, you could've saved us both the trouble by getting up earlier."

"Sorry about that," Minato said, looking up in time to see Yukari roll her eyes, turn to Mitsuru, and quickly explain why Aigis had barged in here unannounced. He noticed Mitsuru took the information quite well, and her cursory glances at him didn't have that pained look. While it appeared that she had gotten over whatever jealousy, if there was any to begin with, towards Aigis, Minato thought it could've been yet another display of her usual cool composure.

When Yukari finished, Mitsuru turned her attention to Aigis. "Well Takeba is right. You cannot stay here. But since you wish to be…nearer to Arisato, then I can have a room prepared for you on the third floor. Is that okay?"

"Certainly Mitsuru-san," Aigis said with a nod.

Yukari sighed. "Geez. All this talking's tired me out and the day hasn't even started yet." Her eyes drifted towards Minato's alarm clock and she gasped. "Ah! Is that the time?"

"Archery practice?" Minato asked.

"Yeah. I gotta go. See you guys later."

Yukari darted out of the room, seized Junpei's arm (he had been standing by the doorway, puzzled and amused, the whole time), and dragged him down the stairs; their argument over how Junpei should start being punctual for once in his life echoing through the corridor.

"So people go to a place called school in the morning," Aigis said. "I comprehend. In that case, will you two be leaving now?"

"Soon," Mitsuru said. "As time is running short, I'll show you to your room when I get back. In the meantime, please wait in either the foyer or the command room. Oh and don't leave the dorm by yourself."

"I will do as commanded." Aigis took one last look at Minato and then left.

When he could no longer hear her footsteps, Minato yawned and stretched his arms. It was probably something he shouldn't have done in Mitsuru's presence – it made him feel guilty for reasons he couldn't explain – but it was long overdue.

"Hopefully she won't disturb you once she's been allocated her room," Mitsuru said, watching Minato go about his daily wake-up rituals with a smile.

"Hopefully," Minato said. He got up, opened the wooden wardrobe, and took out his uniform. Placing it on his bed, he looked at his clock and frowned. "Wait, isn't it still too early to go?"

"That depends. Remember, now that you're able to resume your duties, there are things that need to be taken care of." She turned, strode to the doorway, and judging Minato was confused, she added, "Check your email when you're ready."

As the sound of her heels disappeared, Minato grabbed his cell phone off the study desk and flipped it open. He smiled once his email loaded.

Things indeed.

* * *

The two days following what was known to be the 'trespassing' were not any different. Yukari and Mitsuru's warning apparently meant nothing to Aigis because when Minato woke up, it was to the sight of those blue eyes and not his alarm clock. He tolerated the wake-up call on Saturday – school was still on and he did oversleep – but on Sunday? That was uncalled for. The shaking had stopped, thankfully, and by the time the third and fourth day after the 'trespassing' rolled around, Aigis ceased entering his room.

It didn't cease her excessive attachment though. Although confined to the dorm, Aigis had discovered other ways to keep an eye on Minato and ensured every moment he was present count. In the mornings when he came downstairs, she would greet him (it was more of an obligatory greeting than anything else) and remind him that he needed to this and that by this time. In the evenings when he got back later than usual, she would ask him questions about where he'd gone and what he'd been up to. Whenever a discussion was held, either in the foyer lounge or command room, Aigis would be standing by where Minato sat or sitting beside him.

Though they were little things that meant little, it was enough to transform the dorm into a place Minato dreaded going. Visiting Tartarus didn't bring about any reprieve either; their first venture with her as chaotic as the first time Minato stepped foot into the tower. As Aigis was a ranged fighter, he thought it best for her to accompany Yukari and soften up enemy Shadows from afar. The strategy saw some success – they downed Shadows with ease and efficiency just like any other visit – but more importantly, it gave him the temporary freedom he so needed.

Of course, it was short-lived, and Minato was once more thrust into her clutches when they came into a clearing and Shadows swooped at them from above. The plan of attack here was no different to the last time they were in such a situation: form a ring around Yukari so that she was covered and could freely shoot arrows. Aigis was going to have none of that however, and instead opted to stand beside Minato and fight from there. Being so accustomed to having Mitsuru and Junpei on his flanks taking care of any Shadow that got past him with their blades, the android's erratic movements were quite disruptive and awkward to adapt to. Not to mention she did most of Minato's work for him. He admitted her prowess on the battlefield was unparalleled though, with fights reduced to mere skirmishes that lasted less than twenty seconds.

Minato wished the time she spent hovering around in the dorm lasted that long and on the fifth day after the 'trespassing', he got that wish.

Something close to it anyway.

* * *

"…and that concludes the meeting," Mitsuru said, rising from her chair. "If there are any questions, please contact me or Arisato when you're able. Otherwise, enjoy your day and good luck on your exam results."

Sounds of chairs being pushed along the floor filled the air as members of the Student Council Executive got up and left the room. Mitsuru swore she heard mumbles of profanity from one of the boys – Hidetoshi perhaps? – but passed it off. It was a normal occurrence whenever the results of the first semester finals were released and she had come to expect such behavior from students. Even those on the Executive.

"So here are the financial records for the month," Minato said, placing a couple of folders in front of Mitsuru as everyone else departed. "You know, as tough as Hidetoshi makes himself to be, you'd think he wouldn't be afraid of anything. And now he's cursing about getting results back."

"So it was him. I knew I heard something." She paused. "Was it really that bad?"

"The exams? I thought it was fairly straightforward. Nothing surprising at least." He gathered his things and crossed to the exit. Then he turned around. "By the way, I had a quick look at the balance sheets and I think Chihiro forgot to account for the money that'll be used to sponsor the Cultural Festival."

"Did she?"

"Uh-huh. So I made some corrections. Just thought I'd let you know before you went to her and asked why there's all these markings everywhere."

Mitsuru opened the top folder and scanned through the file, noting the several notes in red Minato had written along the margins of the page. "Thanks for doing that."

"No problem. See you later." He slid the door open and was about to leave when Akihiko appeared in front of him. "Hey senpai."

His greeting caused Mitsuru to look up from reviewing the balance sheet and onto the documents the boxer was carrying.

"Ah so you guys are finally done," Akihiko said, entering the room. "I was wondering why I didn't see you come out with everyone else."

"There was something I needed to let Mitsuru-senpai know," Minato said. He gestured at the documents. "What's that supposed to be?"

"A profile of someone we believe has the potential," Mitsuru answered, turning both boys' attention to her. "I haven't had the chance to go through it myself so I had Akihiko bring the documents here. Is it alright if we give you the details later?"

Minato nodded. "Sure. Don't forget to let the others know as well." With that, he raised a hand at both his senpai and left.

Once he was gone, Akihiko closed the door to lower the crescendoing chatter of students in the outside corridor, walked over to Mitsuru, and handed her the documents. "So, you two seem to be on better terms."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the way you two act around each other. It seems less awkward than before we left for Yakushima."

"Oh. Well, I suppose it is."

Mitsuru shifted her eyes to the profile and began reading. While the layout of information was neat and organised, she found herself unable to concentrate on the words; Akihiko's remarks triggering her mind into thinking about Kikuno's suggestion on what she should do regarding her situation with Minato. _If he's attempting to find out where you stand, then I think you had better find that out _soon, Kikuno had said. _You'd want to be able to answer him right?_ Mitsuru creased her brow. It had been a little over a week since that conversation and she still hadn't decided where she was on the relationship spectrum. She supposed her indecision was due to the responsibility she had to uphold for the Group but even then, choosing between 'Yes, I like you' or 'No, I don't think this is going to work out' should have been easy.

"Hey are you alright?"

She glanced up from the profile in an effort to refresh her mind and met Akihiko's concerned gaze. It was one she'd seen on his face whenever he could tell something troubled her and at that moment, it struck her that perhaps telling him about her dilemma was worthwhile. Her father did say to place more trust in others and Akihiko was someone she had absolute faith in. _There's no downside to it. Yet…_

"I'm fine," Mitsuru said. "I was just thinking about the first time we spoke about this. When you told me to befriend him again."

"It worked out pretty well didn't it? I've never seen you happier."

"That may be true. It's just…"

She trailed off and looked at the windows which showed a pleasant view of Gekkoukan's vast front lawn.

"You're worried about how you're going to tell him about _that_ aren't you?" Akihiko asked. When she didn't answer, he continued, "I think you should do it while the team's morale is still high. Better sooner than later right?"

Mitsuru agreed and left the matter there. It was unnecessary to elaborate any further and there was business to be done. She focused her attention on the documents and skimmed through it, flipping the pages as she went. When she reached the comments written by Ikutsuki on the last page, her eyes widened.

"He's been wandering around during the Dark Hour?" she said, placing the documents on the desk. It was the first time she'd heard of people walking about during the Dark Hour on purpose and the fact that it had been an occurrence over the last three weeks made her worry for the boy, and wonder at how he hadn't been attacked yet.

"Yeah. He got caught out when we were at Yakushima," Akihiko said. "I guess it's a good thing that Shinji found him before the Shadows did but…" A hard look crossed his face and he left the statement hanging.

Mitsuru didn't blame him. The catalyst for the first breaking of S.E.E.S. was something they both remembered very well and promised not to speak of. Imagining such a thing was inconceivable back then and now that it reappeared in their lives, Mitsuru took it as an omen for a similar happening in the near future. Her hunch that S.E.E.S. would be broken a second time frightened her and although she found some solace in learning from past mistakes, she knew no matter what precautions were set, it was impossible to cover every contingency. Minato's incident proved that.

"Well if it'll make you worry less, we could invite him to stay with us at the dorm," she said.

Akihiko folded his arms. "I don't know about that. What if he gets interested and decides to join? He's only in grade school Mitsuru."

"I'm aware of that. But if he's going to be wandering around this much, surely we should keep a watch on him."

"So what are you saying? He needs a bodyguard? I'll have you know I'm not up for babysitting."

Mitsuru chuckled. "Don't worry, you won't be doing it alone."

* * *

The exam results were posted on the large noticeboard in the main lobby. There were three sets – one for each grade of senior school – and within each set was a list of names starting with the student who had scored the highest. Naturally, this meant everyone's score was on display for the whole school to see and it became something of a tradition for hordes of students to gather round the board, admire and complement those who did well, and laugh at those who ended up failing. Because the revels could be as raucous as a Friday night fraternity party, the Student Council had allocated specific times for each grade to view their scores.

They hadn't anticipated students lingering around however, so when Minato left his homeroom with his classmates (Junpei, Yukari, a self-proclaimed ladies' man known as Tomochika Kenji, and a sports freak known as Miyamoto Kazushi), and headed for the lobby, little did he know getting there would take almost a quarter of the time allowed for lunch.

"Man, at this rate, we're never gonna be back in time for lunch," Junpei said as they trudged down the staircase, following the traffic of students.

"At least it's not as bad as last year," Kenji said. He was roughly the same height as Junpei, with ordinary light brown hair and equally ordinary features.

"How bad was last year?" Minato asked.

"Pretty terrible. We were held up so long cos of that prank a couple of seniors pulled." Kenji shook his head. "I think everyone was late for class."

Kazushi chortled. He was taller than Kenji, with short, spiky black hair, and skin that had seen too much sunlight. "Not me. I was out on the field."

"Well of course you were," Kenji said. "Speaking of that, when are you gonna come to school not wearing your gym clothes? You don't even have P.E. today."

"I've training after school. Besides, the less time I spend changing, the more time I can spend practicing."

Minato couldn't help smiling at that; it reminded him of a certain boxer. _Looks like Akihiko's reached a lot more people than the girls that follow him. _"There was a prank?"

"Yeah," Yukari answered. "Can we not talk about it?"

"Oh c'mon Yuka-tan," Junpei said, grinning. "Be a good sport."

Yukari glared at him and glanced at Minato nervously. "Promise you won't laugh or get creepy like Stupei here."

"I won't," Minato said. That, of course, was a lie.

"Well, once there were enough people in the lobby, about fifteen to twenty seniors started throwing water-bombs at everyone. It was way uncalled for but I guess they were happy half the year was over. Anyway, after a few minutes, everyone was soaked. The worst part was–"

"Don't you mean the best part?" Junpei interrupted.

Yukari ignored him. "I think you can kinda see where this is going right?"

Minato looked at Junpei, who was having difficulties in stifling whatever he wanted to say, and sighed. He did know where this was going and if he hadn't become smitten by Mitsuru, it was likely that he too would have shared Junpei's perspective and be resisting a snicker. "Wet blouses?"

"Dammit you took the fun out of it!" Junpei said. He shook his head and composed himself. "Ah well. It's too bad stuff like that ain't happenin' again. Mitsuru-senpai pretty much killed off any hope of pulling pranks."

"And for a good reason. You know, I'm actually glad that she's the Student Council President this year," Yukari said, a small smile forming. Minato noticed it and wondered if she and Mitsuru had mended their relationship. It certainly looked that way on their last day at Yakushima, where the two had interacted without any resentment whatsoever.

Junpei turned to Minato. "If only you were there man. It was heaven."

Minato was about to say his version of heaven was something else entirely when they arrived at the lobby. As expected, it was jam packed with students. Groups of them were scattered all around the lobby floor – some happy, some sad – but the majority had crowded around the noticeboard. That mass was like a hydra; for every student that broke off, two more came to take his or her place. He wondered how they would ever have a clean view of the scores when he saw Fuuka and Natsuki, standing by the shoe lockers and waving at him to come over. He led Yukari (Junpei, Kazushi and Kenji had decided to join the crowd) through the masses of white and black uniforms towards them, unaware of the looks he was being given by the students around him.

"Looks like you two got here before the crowd showed up," Minato said.

"Class for us finished early so we made sure to leave as soon as possible," Fuuka said. "I managed to find your name Yukari and you did pretty well."

"Really?" Yukari said. "I was expecting something bad. Guess I don't have to bother with," she pointed at the crowd, "_that _anymore. How about you guys?"

"I scored above average," Natsuki said. "But Fuuka did really well. She scored in the top twenty."

"Wow Fuuka, that's amazing."

Fuuka blushed. "Not really. I thought I messed up the history paper."

"You're being too modest Fuuka," Natsuki said, giving her a playful punch. "Show a little pride."

"Did you manage to see what Minato got?" Yukari asked.

Fuuka and Natsuki exchanged a glance. They looked reluctant to share.

"We…did but I think it's something you should see for yourself Minato," Fuuka said. She kept her voice neutral; there was no change in pitch due to excitement or disappointment.

_Way to make me even more anxious_, Minato thought."Alright then."

As he turned and prepared to head into the monochrome mass, he noticed Junpei, Kazushi and Kenji striding out of it. The latter looked devastated, as if he'd been rejected by the young attractive teacher whom he had a crush on.

"What happened to you Kenji?" Minato asked as he approached them.

Kazushi looked at Kenji and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This guy flunked hard. I told you not to spend so much time with Kanou-sensei."

"I know that," Kenji said, "but…but…why are you so happy Junpei?"

"I'm just stoked that I did better than ya and I didn't even study," Junpei said, smiling. He turned to Minato and leaned closer. "By the way dude, you should really see your score. And keep your eye out for those Mitsuru-senpai followers. After what you got, I don't think they're gonna be happy."

Minato nodded and leaving them to escort Kenji back to the homeroom, he pushed past several random onlookers and tried to get a good view of the noticeboard. It was hard; the students in front of him were constantly moving; the students who left the crowd brushed his shoulders as they passed him, making him lose his vantage point; and the students who were a head taller or a tad wider than he was just ate up the noticeboard. After a few minutes of this, he finally caught a glimpse. He thought it would take longer to search for his name among the hundred or so in his grade but a glimpse was all he needed.

Because his name was at the top of the list.

_Now I see why Junpei said be on the lookout. _It was an ongoing rumor that Mitsuru would only date academically proficient boys and given his score, Minato thought he probably should have made some errors. From his peripheral vision, he noticed that more and more students – some of them he recognized from his makeshift psychiatrist sessions – were staring at him. As per usual. There appeared to be more looks of admiration and respect this time round though Minato could feel an equal amount of spiteful ones aimed at his back. He was sure three of them came from that bespectacled idiot and his posse of goons that had assaulted him a few months ago, and as soon as he caught eye of them, his phone chimed. He thanked whoever decided to contact him and excusing himself out of the crowd, he ascended the stairs to the first floor. It was empty, save for the occasional student passing by. He flipped opened his cell and found a new message. From Mitsuru.

_Congratulations on topping the grade. I'm very proud of you. By the way, do you mind coming to the Student Council room now? There's something I'd like to discuss._

_Discuss eh? _Minato, for a moment, wondered if she this time she meant discussing their 'moment' in the hospital ward. Then he dismissed the thought. There was no way she would risk speaking about something so intimate in a public space, especially one where rumors amassed like pigeons in Trafalgar Square. After texting he'd be there in the next minute, he closed his cell, put it back in his pocket, went up another flight of stairs to the second floor and walked to the room opposite Class 2-E.

Minato slid the door open and entered. Mitsuru was, as usual, standing by the arrangement of desks in front of the blackboard. Beside her was Akihiko. The boxer's presence was unexpected and seeing him and the various documents spread out before him told Minato that this was not some celebratory moment. _Or about _that, he thought. Keeping his prior hopes down, he approached and greeted them both.

"Ah Arisato, there you are," Mitsuru said. "Once again, well done on your result. Now I know you probably have things to do so I'll keep this as brief as possible." She handed Minato a single document.

"Amada Ken? Isn't this that kid Junpei and Yukari occasionally hang out with at the shrine?" Minato asked once he finished reading through the boy's profile.

"Yeah," Akihiko said. "We think he's got the potential cos Shinji found him wandering about during the Dark Hour." His face darkened slightly when he mentioned Shinjiro.

"I see. So you're debating whether or not to recruit him right?"

Mitsuru nodded. "I would have done it straight away but he's still only in grade school. Not to mention there are other aspects I've now learned to consider." She paused. "In any case, the main problem is that he's still wandering about, which makes him highly vulnerable to attacks from Shadows."

"Why would he wander around like that in the first place?" Minato asked.

"It's hard to say. Although, ever since he lost his mother, his only blood relative, he's been acting quite recklessly. Since you come from a similar background, I thought you would be the best choice for what I'd like to do with him."

"And that is…"

"To act as his bodyguard."

Minato folded his arms and considered her idea. It was, in his opinion, a good one, and much better than her previous tactic of simply requesting with no questions asked. But… "What's the catch?"

"Two things," Mitsuru said with a smile. "Firstly, you'll be staying at his dorm for a few days. It's just to see if anything happens and to make sure he doesn't get into trouble. I've spoken with Amada about this earlier today and he doesn't mind."

"Okay. And the other?"

Mitsuru gestured at Akihiko, who had a subtle sullen look.

"I'll be going with you," he said.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Minato and Akihiko headed for Ken's dormitory. Once school was over, signalling the beginning of summer break, the two had rushed back to their dorm and packed enough clothing to last the visit. As well as their Evokers of course. Carrying his shoulder bag and walking along the streets of Iwatodai was reminiscent of the day he arrived here, and Minato couldn't help musing about how he had come down this way with nothing but coffins and puddles of blood for company, following that strange blue butterfly as if it was the magical fairy that knew the way along a not so yellow brick road.

"Y'know I'm glad you're here," Akihiko said as they passed a small, suspicious side street. "Mitsuru was really keen on sending me alone."

"Didn't you try to talk her out of it?"

Akihiko shook his head. "No way. One thing about Mitsuru you gotta know is that when she's made up her mind about something, don't even bother trying to argue. She'll win every time. I'm actually a bit surprised you agreed so easily, since you haven't met him before. Why's that?"

Minato took a few moments to respond. He had asked himself the same question during the last lesson of the day and had spent said lesson thinking of an answer. He knew quite well why Mitsuru hadn't gone to Junpei or Yukari – the former was certain to leave a bad influence and the latter would find it weird to hang out with a kid almost half her age – and was prudent in not asking her that. He supposed it could be another case of not wanting to disappoint Mitsuru though to think that made him feel desperate and moronic. _So what else could it be? I know Fuuka's not the best people person and Aigis is even worse…_

Aigis.

That was it.

"Mainly to get away from Aigis," Minato said. "I don't know if you've noticed but she's really clingy."

"Oh I've noticed. And I gotta say, I've nev–"

He stopped when he saw a familiar figure up ahead. Minato looked in that direction and searched for the person who made Akihiko cut off. It didn't take long; the person was irrationally dressed in a maroon pea coat and black pants, wore a black beanie on his head, and was coming their way.

"Of all the times I choose to walk this way," Shinjiro muttered before looking up at Akihiko and Minato. "What're you two doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing Shinji," Akihiko said.

"Cut to the chase."

"We're on our way to Ken's dorm," Minato said.

Shinjiro regarded him with rather cold eyes and gestured at the bags they were carrying. "You're going to bring him food or something?"

"Not exactly. Uh…"

"Mitsuru's decided we should start keeping a watch on him," Akihiko said, taking a step forward, "and she's asked me and Minato here to do that."

"Is that so?" Shinjiro asked. "Well whatever. It's none of my business anyway." He proceeded to walk past them, hands in his coat pockets.

"Thanks by the way, for finding the kid," Akihiko said before Shinjiro was out of earshot.

"Hmph. Don't thank me yet."

They watched him go (Minato could not figure out for the life of him how Shinjiro wasn't drowning in his own sweat) and once he was a turned into a side street, they continued on to Ken's dorm without speaking much. Minato was curious at how Akihiko and Shinjiro's friendship had degenerated into no more than common pleasantries though he refrained from asking. He'd likely get onto the boxer's bad side and that was something he didn't need right now.

When they arrived at Ken's dorm, the boy was already waiting outside for them, standing by the couple of steps leading to the door. He was pretty short for a ten year old, roughly reaching Minato's elbow, had short brown hair, and was wearing an orange-black jersey and black shorts. He looked to be one of those players in junior football – _he'd be the striker that zips pass the defense, _Minato thought – and he eyed them with anticipation.

"Hello. You must be Sanada-san and Arisato-san," Ken said. He bowed. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Minato said with a smile. He noticed a flicker of pain on Akihiko's face and gave him a slight nudge, to which the boxer grunted for a greeting.

"Come on in, I'll show you to your rooms."

Minato half expected to see an arrangement of sofas on his right, the reception desk on his left, and maybe a dining table up ahead when he entered. The dorm on the outside looked remarkably similar to his own, and if the Kirijo Group had commissioned it as he so thought, then it would made sense for all the dorms to be standardized. He was partially correct. The reception desk was at the far end, with a door to its left presumably leading to some storage area; a set of sofas to his left were facing a TV that had multiple game consoles attached; and there wasn't a dining table or kitchen area.

Ken led them past all this to the hallway down the far right, up two flights of stairs and into a corridor with doors to rooms on either side. _This looks the same_, Minato thought. Once they reached the third door on the left, Ken stopped, opened it, and walked in.

Seeing that the room could fit two people, Minato wondered if he would have to share with Akihiko. On each side of the center window, there were two single beds and two study desks. The right desk was void of books, the left completely stacked with them. Minato looked pass this in favor of the black and white football sitting on Ken's desk. And smiled to himself. _So he does play._

"So this is my room," Ken said, sitting on his bed. "You guys can take any room you want. They're all vacant."

Akihiko nodded, inspecting the room. "It's pretty quiet. Not like our place."

"That's because I'm the only one here. Everyone else has gone home." He lowered his head and clasped his hands. "To be honest, I don't need a bodyguard. N-Not that it means I don't want you guys here. I could use the company." He then looked at Akihiko the way a child looks up to their idol. "You know Sanada-senpai, I've heard a lot about you."

"You have?"

"Yeah. You haven't lost a boxing match yet. What's your secret?"

Minato saw the biggest grin appear on Akihiko's face and sighed. It was going to be a long week.

* * *

The first two nights went by eventless. That was good – they didn't want Ken to be wandering around the Dark Hour – but boring. The last time Minato saw any action was back when they took Aigis to Tartarus about a week ago and he was itching to let his Personas loose, if only to have something to break up the monotony of lying awake for the entire Dark Hour and listening for Ken leaving his room. Minato initially thought he'd be able to return to the dorm, _his _dorm, during the day and get something done now that summer break had started. Chat with Maya on Innocent Sin Online perhaps, or maybe see what kind of quarrel Junpei and Yukari were up to this time. But when he called Mitsuru to update her on how they were going, and asked to clarify whether he could return, she had politely told him no.

"I need you to be watching him," she said while he was watching Akihiko and Ken play on the local football field. "It's only for a couple more days so you should be okay right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"How are you all getting along by the way?"

"Pretty well. He likes Akihiko-senpai more than me though."

"Really? In that case, make sure Akihiko doesn't go off on his protein tangent. I don't want any more boys taking after him."

Minato chuckled, imagining the sly smile that Mitsuru always had when they spoke of this.

"Don't worry I will."

He broke the connection and watched as Ken kicked the football straight into the back of the net. It was true that the boy admired Akihiko and it was apparent from the moment they met. He wondered if Mitsuru was wrong in sending him here, that their similarity of having lost their parents in accidents had done more to push them apart than bring them together. He shook his head. No matter how mature they seemed or acted out to be, little boys always looked up to their role models and Akihiko's famed status as a champion boxer did well serve as one.

Minato thought that the day would end as the last two had, eventless, but when the Dark Hour struck that night, he heard the soft click of a door closing. Grabbing the Evoker that he hid underneath his pillow (a habit that he continued to do despite Pharos' criticism), he leapt to his feet, slowly crossed to his door, and gently pushed it open. He poked his head out and his heart pounded with a mixture of fear and excitement when he saw Ken's fleeting silhouette disappear down the stairs. He went to the door opposite him where Akihiko was sleeping and was about to knock when it opened.

"So you heard it too huh?" Akihiko asked, Evoker in hand, and not looking surprised. "Wonder why he waited till today to do it."

"Maybe he thought we'd slack off after the first few days."

"Maybe. C'mon, let's go."

The two of them descended the stairs, exited the dorm and out into the familiar green tinge of the Dark Hour. Even though the afternoon had been warm and humid, it wasn't enough to stop the coldness from sucking all the moisture out of the air. The smell of blood and decay were there as well, making Minato wrinkle his nose as they began searching the vicinity. They decided against splitting up to cover more ground because as confident as they were in downing Shadows, having only their Personas for weapons sapped their energy much quicker. And they couldn't have that. Not when there wasn't any backup at the ready.

Just as they finished searching one of the streets two blocks away from the dorm, a series of shouts penetrated the silence. One was definitely a human crying out in terror. The other was…barking? Yelping? Either way, it was more animal than human and they ran to where the shouts emanated from.

Naganaki Shrine.

Once there, Minato froze. At the foot of the stairs leading up to the shrine was Ken. The boy was on his backside, crawling backwards and away from the ring of Shadows that had boxed him in. In front of him, was a growling white Shiba Inu with eyes as red as Mitsuru's hair. _What the hell? How is a dog still active at this time?_ Before his mind took off in brainstorming how a dog was able to function, blue lightning bolts descended from above and zapped a Shadow that leapt at Ken to nothingness. Minato turned to his right and saw Akihiko lowering his Evoker.

"Are you gonna help me or what?" Akihiko asked.

Minato responded by raising his Evoker and pulling the trigger. Orpheus materialized and strummed his harp. Bursts of flame erupted forth, singeing two Shadows that had broken off from the main group. "That's two for me."

"You wanna keep score now do you? You're on."

The two then began plowing their way through the Shadows. As he commanded Orpheus to strike down one that had attempted a poorly timed strike, Minato noticed that Ken and the dog had retreated up the stairs. He thought that was a wise thing to do but then another thought struck him. What if there were more Shadows up there? What if they were unknowingly running into an even greater danger? Fearing the worst, Minato dismissed Orpheus, signaled Akihiko to clean up, and took to the stairs two steps at a time.

Upon reaching the shrine, his heart sank as he saw Ken and Koromaru backing away from a gargantuan Shadow. It was a very muscular humanoid, and apart from the blue mask and golden brief that it wore, it was naked. Minato smirked. The Shadow wouldn't know what hit him. He caught Ken's eye as he raised his Evoker. Relief on the boy's face turned to shock and Ken opened his mouth to scream. Minato didn't register that, only a heavy blow that sent him hurtling into the wooden safety rail, his Evoker flying out of his hand and towards the small playground. He cursed as his bad shoulder slammed into it and the pain that sprung to life felt as if his whole left arm was burning. He looked up at his assailant and grimaced.

The humanoid Shadow's brother had arrived.

* * *

Ken saw the second humanoid Shadow materialize out of thin air as he backed away from the one advancing towards him. Saw it bring its arm backwards, ready to punch. Saw the punch connecting with its target. Saw Minato colliding against the railing and grunting in pain. It was all too unreal. Ken had heard of these so-called Shadows from Shinjiro and Mitsuru but he never thought he'd be attacked by them. Out of all the times he had wandered around during the Dark Hour it hadn't happened.

Ever.

Looking up at the Shadow now, he noticed there was something familiar about it. A bulky, humanoid shape? Shoulder-length hair?

It was like the one that had killed his mother two years ago.

_No, it's definitely the one that killed her._ A surge of rage coursed through Ken as he came to this realization and he clenched his fists. He would kill this Shadow. Make it feel the pain he had felt when he saw his mother sacrifice herself. But how? He looked at Koromaru, who was ready to pounce, and then at his empty hands. It was pointless. There was no way either of them could do anything remotely dangerous and with Minato down and Akihiko busy clearing out the Shadows below, their chances of survival were dwindling.

Ken lowered his head, preparing to brace himself when something glinted in the yellow moonlight. He shifted his gaze to the glinting and saw Minato's Evoker. It was lying in the sandbox, about a five second dash away. Ken looked at the Shadow, then at the Evoker, and back to the Shadow again. He could get there in time. It'd be like sprinting towards the goal after receiving a well-timed pass from a teammate. He'd just needed a dis–

Koromaru leaped at the Shadow. As his fangs sunk into the Shadow's leg, Ken seized the opening and ran to the sandbox. He heard a yelp, followed by a thud and felt the Shadow's shadow enveloping him. He yanked the Evoker out of the sand, turned around to face the enemy who had drawn its arm back, and breathing heavily, placed the barrel against his forehead.

_I can do this. I have to do this. For mom!_

With a cry of vengeance, Ken squeezed the trigger.

The Shadow recoiled from the crackling energy brought forth by the invocation and when Ken looked up, his Persona, Nemesis, was floating before him. The Persona was less humanoid than Orpheus or Polydeuces, with red eyes, a wide comical grin, and a jagged, charcoal grey ring that went around itself. The ring then began to glow electric blue and a circle of light formed around the Shadow's feet. Rectangular pieces of Japanese joss paper spiraled upwards from the light, attached themselves to the Shadow and detonated. As Shadow muck began to rain down, Ken focused his attention on the second Shadow that was approaching. He commanded Nemesis to cast the same spell but by the time he could think it, the Shadow had smacked his Persona into blue shards. The broken connection pushed Ken onto his backside and the Evoker slid out of reach. From where he was, he espied Minato still winded by the railing, and heard Akihiko's grunts from down below.

Ken scrambled as far back as he could while the second Shadow advanced towards him. There was going to be no help this time. He would die the same way his mother did. But just when he thought it was all over, something white darted past to stand in front of him once again.

"Koromaru, no!" Ken shouted.

The dog ignored his plea and howled. Ken thought it was a battle cry until he felt gusts of wind swirling in the space above Koromaru. He watched as something black, canine, and three-headed materialized. _He has one too!? _Koromaru's Persona, Cerberus, roared and created a purple seal on the Shadow's chest. The seal slowly rotated at first, then picked up its tempo until it was spinning like the propeller of a plane at full throttle and sucked the Shadow into its vortex. A trickle of muck, which was all that remained of the Shadow, splashed onto the floor. After that, there was nothing in the air but footsteps and heavy breathing.

* * *

"He can summon a Persona!?"

Akihiko looked at the befuddled faces of Yukari, Junpei and Fuuka, who had all simultaneously asked that question and nodded. It was well into the early hours of the morning when he had returned to the dorm with Minato, Ken and Koromaru, and now everyone was gathered in the foyer lounge.

"I'm not sure how it works but he can. Minato and Ken saw it happen," Akihiko said, looking down at Koromaru. The dog had attracted much attention – equally due to his adorability and bravery – and barked in agreement.

"Koromaru-san wishes to fight with us it seems," Aigis said.

Everyone looked to her.

"You can talk to dogs?" Minato asked, holding a pack of ice against his injury.

"Yes. Koromaru-san says 'I will repay you for helping me.' At least that is what he seems to be saying."

Yukari smiled, bent down and stroked his fur. "Oh you're such a good dog."

"But how is he going to fight?" Fuuka asked as she checked to ensure the bandages on Koromaru were properly put on. "I'm sure his awakening was only because of the situation. Unless you plan on making a special Evoker for him?"

"I think it should be feasible," Mitsuru said, crossing her legs and glancing at Ken, who was sitting opposite her on the sofas with his head lowered. "The fact that he was somehow able to interact with the Shadows demonstrate that Koromaru has the potential to be a consistent Persona-user."

"Seriously?" Junpei said. "That's pretty awesome. Guess he'll be the one taking care of Fuuka in the lobby from now on."

Akihiko folded his arms. "I don't think we're going to delegate Koromaru to that role just yet. He needs to be trained. And who knows? He might turn out to be a better warrior than you Junpei."

Mitsuru sighed. "Anyway, I'll inform the Chairman about Koromaru and arrange for a vet to give him a check-up. Other than that, he's all your responsibility to feed and care for. Understood?"

Everyone agreed.

"Um, I'd like to be trained too," Ken mumbled. When he saw no one took notice, he spoke louder. "Please allow me to fight too!"

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Why all of a sudden?" Minato asked.

"You guys are all fighting those monsters…those Shadows right? It's really vague and all but I remembered something. Two years ago, it was…it was them that killed my mom." His voice wavered a little. "So please! Let me fight with you all."

Akihiko looked at Mitsuru, who returned his stare with a pensive gaze. They both knew Ken's claim was wrong. That it wasn't really a Shadow that did the evil deed. _But he doesn't have to know that just yet._

"I'm moved," Junpei said, smiling. "Wanting to avenge your mom at your age, you're gonna make me cry. Hey senpai, you don't have a problem with him joining do you?"

Mitsuru avoided Junpei's eyes. "Well…"

"He can join," Akihiko finished for her after a few moments. Ken beamed at this but Akihiko held up a hand and looked at him. "But if you're going to fight, then you have to start taking responsibility for your own safety. That means no more walking around during the Dark Hour alone. You got that?"

"Yes sir!" Ken said, bowing his head.

Akihiko continued to smile as they made arrangements for Ken and Koromaru's formal induction and training. In his heart however, there was no smile. Only the thought of what Shinjiro would do if he learned of this.

_I just hope I didn't make the wrong decision. _


	27. Welcome

**A/N: Hey all. Many apologies for the unannounced hiatus. College finals have kept me extremely busy and I also went overseas for a while so that kinda halted my updating schedule. I'm back now though, so hopefully it'll be back to business as usual. **

**Regarding this chapter, it's going to cover the underground fight with the Shadow and SEES' first meeting with Strega. ****I always felt that Strega's introduction in the game wa****s quite lame and the fact that they didn't do anything significant made them, in my eyes, pretty weak villains. As a result, I've done something very different here and turned up the intensity level. **

**Hope you enjoy it and for those who have been leaving reviews and messages, hopefully you're still around with your ever appreciative comments. **

* * *

A throbbing headache welcomed Shinjiro with open arms when the Dark Hour struck yet again. Compared to those that had greeted him in the past few days, the throbbing tonight was worse and to the point where ignoring it was almost impossible. _It's only because I haven't taken the pills in the past few days_, he thought as he entered the courtyard that had become home to so many scuffles. Out of boredom, he had made it a hobby to keep a tab on each and every one he'd watched. His overall conclusion? They were all the same: drunkards and stressed businessmen staggering into areas that were supposedly the property of the local troublemakers. Only one scuffle stood out among the rest and that of course, was the one on that warm summer evening. The one where that Arisato kid and his friends had come looking for information on that Yamagishi girl.

And trouble.

He recalled with great clarity at how the blue haired boy almost looked like Akihiko in combat. Darting around with speed and precision. Shooting well-timed jabs. Using evasion as a means of sliding into another attack. He knew the kid had trained under Akihiko but the resemblance was uncanny. Shinjiro never understood all the fancy techniques the boxer mucked around with that made fighting a dance routine. He just understood that fighting was business. A mean, merciless business whose end products were bloody knuckles, broken bones and in some cases, death.

_Like what happened two years ago._

As fast as he shunned that thought, he wasn't quick enough to stop his mind from thinking about the other day where he had encountered Akihiko and Arisato heading for Ken's dorm. Shinjiro hadn't given their reason for doing so much thought but from experience, he knew that 'keeping a watch' really meant assessing how fit you were for joining the team. He sighed. The very idea of Ken being a part of S.E.E.S. made him fear for the boy. Didn't Akihiko and Mitsuru know what they were getting themselves into by doing this? Weren't they smart enough to realize the dangers and how this could end up damaging the kid even more?

Shinjiro guessed not, though he supposed that it was his fault. While it was only by chance he'd come across the boy during the Dark Hour, he had decided to help the kid. Escorted him back to his dorm and away from the growling Shadows a few streets away. Informed Akihiko and Mitsuru of what he had done. He could have very well turned a blind eye and left the boy to fend for himself. It would have been so easy.

_And yet I didn't_. The reason why had been gnawing at his brain the way a beaver gnaws at a piece of wood, and even after having several days to think it over, the answer remained a fossil that refused to be unearthed. Oh he did come up with a couple of theories; one being that he'd done it to make up for the accident, the other due to pure impulse, but something told him neither–

His mind pulsed. The headache grew heavier. His vision blurred. Moving to lean against a wall, Shinjiro clutched his head. His Persona was coming. Again. He took a hesitant look around. It was five minutes into the Dark Hour and they still weren't here. What was taking them so long? They were never late. They were always on time. His mind continued to throb and just when he thought the gates of his psyche would be smashed open, he saw them approaching him.

Takaya and Jin.

Shinjiro summoned as much willpower as he could and forced his Persona back down. Inhaling deeply, he then walked to meet them in the middle of the courtyard, where the moon's infected glow shone the brightest.

"Where's the girl?" Shinjiro asked, taking a cursory glance over Takaya's shoulder.

"She has a duty to attend to tonight," Takaya replied. He once again gestured for Jin to pass the capsule over.

Shinjiro took the capsule out of Jin's hand. And raised an eyebrow as he inspected its contents. "Running low on supply are we?"

"Hmph. You're lucky to be even receiving these," Jin said, scoffing. "We could cut you off anytime."

"Hush Jin," Takaya said. To Shinjiro, he continued, "You are correct. We are low on supply. However, it is simply because we've had to increase our dosage for tonight. And to do that, we had to use a few of your pills."

"Why would you do that? You know I need those."

Takaya said nothing and instead pointed upwards. Shinjiro looked up and sure enough, there was the yellow full moon.

"You're planning on stopping them aren't you," Shinjiro said, returning his attention to Takaya.

"Perhaps," Takaya said with a shrug. "I like to think of it as persuading. Don't worry, we will make sure no harm comes to the boy."

"Boy?"

"Oh you didn't know? The young boy has joined their ranks."

Shinjiro was speechless. Ken in S.E.E.S.? _Mitsuru… Aki… Why?_

"They must be getting desperate, sending such a child to the battlefield," Takaya continued. "But then again, they have nothing to do with you, correct?" When Shinjiro didn't answer, Takaya turned on his heel. Jin did the same. "Either way, we must be going. It wouldn't do good to be late now would it?"

Shinjiro watched them leave and considered his next move. He'd heard snippets of how the full moon operations were becoming more difficult from Akihiko, specifically the one where Arisato had suffered an injury. If that was as serious as he was told, and if Takaya and Jin were indeed planning a visit, then they were in danger. Shinjiro hadn't seen the extent of Takaya and Jin's powers but with them as well as the Shadow, it would be more than enough trouble.

Opening the capsule, Shinjiro took out the single pill, examined it for a few seconds, then popped it into his mouth and swallowed. Right away, he felt the urge of his Persona die down to a dormant state, ready to be called upon at will. He hadn't wanted to use the pill so early, especially when he had no idea when the next shipment will arrive, but if he was going to anything effectively, it had to be now while the pill's suppressive effect was at its strongest. Praying that he made the right choice, Shinjiro kept to the shadows and followed Takaya and Jin.

* * *

The musky scent of sewerage and damp undergrowth assaulted Minato's nose as he led the others deeper into the underground facility located in Iwatodai's northern harbor. According to Aigis, the facility was a military bunker; the scars of war illuminated by the green moonlight that shone through the ruined ceiling. Old blast marks disfigured the brick walls painted with bloodstains, and there were a few decaying skeletons lying about. Despite the earthy smells, Minato admitted walking through the dim, cave-like passageway was preferable to walking through a love hotel with intoxicating odors. It allowed him to focus and keep his thoughts solely on the mission at hand.

The passageway then opened into a wide and high-ceilinged clearing.

That was empty.

"Who would've thought there'd be something like this down here?" Yukari remarked as they entered the clearing.

"Hard to say," Akihiko said. "I'll tell you one thing though. This place could be turned into a boxing arena."

"You think so senpai?" Ken asked.

"Why not?" Akihiko walked forward and indicated at the large space before him. "You'd put the ring there and the audience can just surround it. It's perfect. Not to mention the dark atmosphere."

Mitsuru sighed. "Honestly, stay focused on the mission Akihiko."

Koromaru barked.

"Koromaru-san agrees with Mitsuru-san," Aigis said, causing everyone sans Akihiko to chuckle.

"Fine," Akihiko said, folding his arms. "But when this is over, I'm definitely coming back here to train."

Junpei resisted a face-palm and walked further into the clearing. "Hey guys, it's just a dead end. Are you sure we're in the right place?"

Fuuka summoned her Persona. Enveloped in Lucia's glass sphere, she clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and concentrated. "Well, Lucia's telling me that the Shadow reading is the strongest here. So it's got to be around somewhere." Dismissing Lucia, she turned to Mitsuru. "Can you sense anything Mitsuru-senpai?"

"Not much but I can feel its presence," Mitsuru said. She crossed to where Minato was standing. "Perhaps we should split up and investigate the area for any hidden switches or control panels."

Minato nodded. "Sure, that's–"

"Unnecessary," a new voice said.

Everyone spun and saw two figures standing by the doorway to the clearing. The one on the right was taller, had long grey hair, tattoos on his exposed arms, and dressed only in a pair of ripped light blue jeans that had a revolver tucked behind the belt. The other had short blue hair, was carrying a silver briefcase, and with his orange-tinted glasses, looked to be some sort of computer geek.

"Who are you?" Minato asked, stepping forward.

The tall man smirked. "My name is Takaya." He gestured to his companion. "And this is Jin. We are known to some by the alias Strega."

"Were you following us the whole time?" Mitsuru demanded.

"Hardly," Takaya said. He lifted his arms and spread them wide. "It's a full moon tonight. Which means another Shadow shall rise from its slumber."

"How do you know that? And more importantly, how do you know it's here?"

"My my, and here I thought the heiress of the Kirijo Group was smart. You should know, you aren't the only ones with data at your disposal."

Fuuka gasped. "Wait a minute. If you're not coffins, then does that mean you're Persona-users as well?"

"Well at least one of you can figure that out," Jin said.

Takaya folded his arms. "Now then, we've been observing all the hard work you've put in as of today. Climbing the beautiful tower. Eliminating the Shadows on nights such as this. I hear that you all look upon what you're doing as a noble act to protect the people of this world. And of course, why wouldn't you? Shadows are bad, evil creatures, determined to destroy humanity if not taken care of."

"Well they are!" Yukari said.

"And I agree with you. But have you even stopped to consider what might happen once the Shadows and the Dark Hour are eliminated? Our powers could vanish. Do you want that? Do you want to go back to your former, pathetic ordinary lives when now you lead such a full one?"

His question was met with silence and Minato gripped his saber tighter. Strega had a point and Minato himself had been wondering what exactly would happen if the Dark Hour was gone. To have another set of minds thinking the Persona ability could vanish alongside the Dark Hour made the prospect that much more believable, but then Minato remembered what Yukari's father had told them to do. _To stop the world from ending, you must eliminate all of them_. But was that really the case?

"You don't know if that'll happen," Minato said.

"But it might," Takaya said. "You people need to understand that eliminating the Dark Hour is no less than a rejection of our power. And that is something I cannot allow you to do. Therefore, we kindly ask you to make your exit now."

"And let the Shadow run loose?!" Yukari exclaimed. "Are you insane? What about all the innocent people who might get killed because of it?"

Takaya shrugged. "Let them die. There will always be disasters, whether they are caused by Shadows, nature, or human folly. Death will come to all eventually. So, what will it be?"

Minato felt everyone's gaze on him. Whether Strega was right or not, there was no chance any of them would dare adhere to their demand. They had finally found the means to end the Dark Hour – by someone who had possessed a background in Shadows and actually experimented to create them no less – and that missing piece of information had helped in strengthening the team's cohesion among so many other things. To have everyone questioning if what they were doing would lead to something that had no evidence was just a ploy, a tactic so that Strega could catch them off guard and recreate the infighting.

_That's not going to work this time. We've been through that already_, Minato thought.

He glanced at Mitsuru, who nodded, swapped his saber out for the Evoker in his left hand, and raised it.

But Takaya was faster.

The hippie clutched his head and grunted. A red glow enveloped him and crimson light swirled upwards. It then dispersed to reveal a disfigured body with black wings growing out of its spine and red veins running all over its dark green skin, crisscrossing this way and that like a subway map. Seeing such an invocation froze Minato and he could do nothing but brace himself against the green gale whipped forth by Takaya's Persona.

To his surprise however, the wind curved around him. Lowering his arms, Minato pivoted and saw the others had been blown further back into the clearing. On instinct, he took a step towards them but stopped short when he heard another grunt from behind. A split second later, a wall of bright orange fire surged in front of him, extending to the ceiling and side walls.

Strega had cut him off.

"Oh how I've been waiting for this moment," Takaya said, smirking.

Minato returned his attention to Strega, taking care not to inhale too deeply. There was now a platinum plated, pendulum shaped, bipedal robot with one arm hovering above Jin, who had placed his briefcase down. Minato was confused. Why had Takaya spared him? Had it been on purpose?

"What are you talking about?" Minato asked.

"You of course. I must confess, the power you hold has interested me greatly. That show you put on at Shirakawa Boulevard? Absolutely delightful. The encore in your dormitory? Truly magnificent."

"You know about my incident?"

"How could we not? Anyone with an awakened Persona would have felt it. I thought it was just life and death situations that would set you off but as you have so demonstrated, it appears that isn't the case." His smirk transformed into a crazed grin. "Now that we won't be disturbed, tell me Arisato, do you trust the Kirijo Group?"

* * *

Mitsuru watched as the fire spread upwards and outwards, separating her and the others from Minato. The blaze lighted up the clearing and radiated a heat that, when combined with the natural humidity, made her head throb. She couldn't believe she had allowed something like this to happen and the worst thing was that she had no one to blame but herself. Seeing Persona-users other than themselves did come as quite a shock, though she never thought it would stun her to the point where awe and fear crept into her bones. She was awed at the way Strega had invoked their Personas, and fearful for what they could do with their powers.

These emotions invaded her thoughts and multiplied her concern for Minato. There had been just one outing to Tartarus ever since they returned from Yakushima and although Minato seemed to have gotten back into the groove of combat, Mitsuru noticed that he was still easing into it. His movements were less fluid than before. His tolerance for the Dark Hour was at a lower level. And his experience in fighting against other Persona-users was untested.

_It's even worse than the time Akihiko broke his ribs_, Mitsuru thought. Getting to her feet, she helped Yukari and Fuuka up, all the while attempting not to stare at the flickering flames that was blinding in the dim clearing. "Is everyone okay?"

"Nothing major so we're all good," Akihiko said. He moved to hoist Ken up. "You doing alright kiddo?"

Ken nodded and picked up his spear. "What do we do now?"

"We must find a way to get back to Minato-san as soon as possible," Aigis said.

"And kick Strega's ass," Junpei added, straightening his cap.

"But what about the Shadow?" Yukari asked.

"It'll have to wait. For now, Arisato's safety is our priority," Mitsuru said. "Aigis, do you think you can–"

Koromaru growled. Everyone turned to look at him and saw he had taken a defensive stance; head lowered, tail raised. Mitsuru wondered what had agitated him when she heard a whirring noise. The sound grew louder and louder until there was a click that signaled some sort of mechanism locking into place. Her heart sank as she saw what was standing on the elevated platform.

The Shadow.

It took the form of a mud-colored tank, with triangular treads optimized for standing instead of rolling, and a hatch that was a winged helmet with a pair of dead yellow eyes peering out.

"A tank? Man how are we gonna even dent that thing?" Junpei asked.

"The same way we always have," Akihiko said. He raised his Evoker and gunshots, as well as Aigis' Gatling cannon cracked the air.

Bullets and the elements smashed into the tank's hull, smoke billowing all around them upon impact. It then cleared to reveal the Shadow tilted to one side but still very much alive. _Iori was right. We barely made a scratch._

"You've got to be kidding me!" Yukari said as she noticed their non-existent handiwork. "Now what?"

"_Aim for the helmet!_" Fuuka called from Lucia's glass sphere. "_That's its weak point!_"

"Understood!" Mitsuru said.

She directed Penthesilea to strike again only to halt when the helmet detached itself from the tank's hull, hovered, and used the cannon it was holding to blast Penthesilea into blue shards. Pain sank its teeth into Mitsuru and she dropped to one knee.

"Mitsuru-san!" Aigis said, running towards her and helping her up.

"I'm fine Aigis," Mitsuru said. "Come on, we've got to…"

The words left her mouth as she watched the tank's hull use its hind treads to lift itself up. Now standing, Mitsuru saw a yellow square mask etched onto the hull's underside that grinned haughtily._ There are two of them!?_ The new Shadow swatted at Hermes and Nemesis, who were nearby, with its front treads. Mitsuru heard Ken and Junpei grunt at their broken connections and as she looked for them, she saw the other Shadow blasting Cerberus and Io.

As the two Shadows converged on Polydeuces (the last remaining Persona), Mitsuru quickly surveyed their surroundings. Unlike the lobby of Tartarus or that room in the love hotel, this battlefield had no cover to hide behind and offered them no means of escape; the barrier of fire had blockaded them in.

_ So how are we going to balance two enemies at once in a place like this?_

The answer came to her as she watched Akihiko and his Persona draw the Shadow's fire away from those who had taken a hit. Mitsuru summoned Penthesilea, commanded her to assist Polydeuces, then turned to Aigis.

"I need a distraction," Mitsuru said. "Can you keep the flying Shadow occupied while the rest of us take down the other one?"

"Certainly Mitsuru-san," Aigis said, before taking off and unleashing a barrage of bullets at the flying Shadow.

Satisfied, Mitsuru called out to Akihiko, dashed to where the others had gathered, and relayed her plan. Everyone nodded and together, they re-engaged. As flashes of cool blue burst forth, momentarily dimming the orange glow of the room, Mitsuru stole a glance at the wall of fire a couple of meters behind her.

_Hang in there Arisato. We're almost done here._

* * *

"What kind of question is that?" Minato asked.

"One which needs to be answered truthfully," Takaya replied. "So I repeat, do you trust them?"

Minato stood still for a few moments, resisting the urge to shrug. He'd learned enough about how body language could weaken and even contradict an argument. Saying he did trust them while shrugging was something Takaya could pick on, and would likely lead to further questioning he did not have the time for.

_But do I really trust the Kirijo Group? _Minato thought about how their research into Shadows had backfired and led to the creation of the Tartarus and the Dark Hour, causing the deaths of so many people, Yukari's father in particular. Both were things that could cause mistrust (if the general public knew) but both were also remnants of the past. Right now, under the leadership of Takeharu, and to a lesser extent, Mitsuru, the Group was doing its best to fix the problem they had created. Despite their questionable methods, at least they didn't turn a blind eye.

"I do trust them," Minato finally said.

"More like you trust the little lady over there," Jin said, sneering.

"Little lady?"

"He means little Miss Kirijo," Takaya said, shooting a sharp look at Jin before returning his attention to Minato. "I'm sure you trust her don't you?"

"Well yeah," Minato said. He bit his tongue to stop himself from adding a retort. Even though his relationship with Mitsuru was in a state of limbo, there was something about the title 'little Miss Kirijo' that he disliked greatly. "But what does that matter?"

"Because for you to understand why the Dark Hour must not be eliminated, we have to be on the same side. Considering the amount of exposure you've had to the Group as a child, I thought at the very least you would know about her and the experiments. But as it stands, you do not."

"I think I know about her and the experiments quite fine," Minato said. Amid the crackling fire barrier behind him, he heard a gunshot followed by shouts piercing the air. Was that the Shadow? Back there with them? He hoped it wasn't. "They made a mistake in underestimating the Shadow's powers and the resulting explosion gave birth to Tartarus and the Dark Hour."

Takaya cackled. "Oh they did more experiments than that. Once they learned that Shadows could be combated by using Personas, the Group conducted more, shall we say, immoral experiments. They toyed with human life. Used people as test subjects. If you don't believe me, then how do you think little Miss Kirijo obtained her power?" When Minato couldn't answer, Takaya smiled. "It seems she didn't tell you. A pity but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. She loves keeping things to herself after all."

"How…How do you know that?" Minato asked, his eyes widening. "Do you know her?"

"As a matter of fact, Jin and I are quite acquainted with her. Of course, she doesn't know this. Because why would she? To her, we were just two of the many other faceless candidates the Group experimented on. Even though we were among the lucky few that survived the initial stage, it didn't matter. We were treated no differently from those who had lost their sanity. I had thought maybe she would try and do something, perhaps convince the experimenters to stop for they definitely had more than enough data to work with. But no. She couldn't do that because she didn't want to befriend or get to know anybody. She feared she might lose them the same way she lost a good friend of hers."

"Or so she said," Jin added.

"So you're saying that the Kirijo Group experimented to forcefully give you the potential of summoning a Persona, and used that knowledge to ensure hers awakened naturally?" Minato asked.

Takaya clapped his hands. "Precisely. This power? It's a blessing few can have and after all the suffering we've endured to receive it, they want to take it away. Perhaps for people like you, it isn't an issue but for us, if we lose our power, we will die. Not physically but mentally. Because without a Persona, what is our purpose?" He shook his head. "That is why I am kindly asking you all to stand down."

"Well if you wanted to do that, shouldn't you have told your story to all of us? Or Mitsuru-senpai at the very least?"

"I would have but your friends aren't very good listeners. I also tend to act rather impulsively so if I came anywhere near little Miss Kirijo, who knows what I might do. My hand may just slip to my good friend here," Takaya tapped his revolver, "and I could make her feel the pain I felt all those years ago."

"You wouldn't dare do that."

"I would. But since I'm reasonable and prefer to avoid spilling blood, I've come to ask you to do it. Why? Because you have an influence on her that nobody else holds. I thought the reason she treated you differently was because you are the field leader, but after your wonderful show at Shirakawa Boulevard, I realized straight away it's because of something else. Am I right in assuming something happened between you two in that hotel?"

Minato loosened his grip on his Evoker and nodded. There was little point in lying. Takaya could read him as if he were a children's picture book. "So all I have to do is tell her and everyone else to give it up?"

"That is correct," Takaya said with a content look. "If you don't, well…" He tapped his revolver again.

Minato looked at the dancing flames as he thought long and hard. _Convince her and the others, or let her be hurt. _Neither option was appealing. Hell, the former was impossible. Everyone would think he'd gone crazy and he knew nothing would stop Mitsuru from seeing the Shadow threat gone. _But I can't risk her getting hurt either. Not after Shirakawa Boulevard. Not after Yakushima. _He closed his eyes (he'd stared into the flames long enough for it to be imprinted onto the back of his eyelids) and when he opened them, he saw a silhouette. Slim, feminine, with long hair. It faded just as fast as it appeared but he knew who it was. And in that moment, feeling her eyes on him through the flames, Minato made his decision.

* * *

"Activating Orgia Mode!"

A surge of power coursed through Aigis as she evaded the flying Shadow's cannon blasts. Her duel hadn't lasted long but the constant running back and forth to keep her opponent occupied was tougher than she had anticipated; the amount of room she had to maneuver in was confined and each shot from the Shadow created small craters in the floor. With a restricted battlefield and uneven terrain, it was difficult to do anything other than fire short bursts from her finger cannons.

That was until now.

Where she had simply been playing a game of cat and mouse before – and she was the mouse – entering Orgia Mode reversed their roles. Upon releasing all the limiters in her body, Aigis felt herself lighter. Stronger. And faster.

The Shadow seemed unaware of this and Aigis pounced on its slowness. She pointed her fingers at the Shadow and fired another burst of metal at a rate that rivaled a minigun. The bullets slammed into the Shadow and the sparks appearing on its helmet-face were like tiny yellow spiders jumping about in frenzy. Small dents formed on the left side of the Shadow's helmet-face as it screeched. It launched a series of cannon blasts at the floor, hoping that at least one tank round would strike Aigis down.

None did.

Once the smoke cleared to reveal the decimated flooring, the Shadow turned a complete circle and found its opponent nowhere to be seen on the ground. It looked toward where its companion was busy fending off Mitsuru and the others and–

SMACK.

A metallic thud hummed through the room as the soles of Aigis' feet came stomping down on the flying Shadow's head. Positioning the thrusters that were placed behind her shoulders and on her hips skyward, she ignited them and pressed the Shadow to the ground. They both descended and a moment before impact, Aigis gave one final push and backflipped off to land safely away from the imminent impact.

The Shadow crashed into one of the mini craters it had created. Through the dust that rose, Aigis saw it lay there, stunned. That was it. Game over. Her work done, she then turned to join Mitsuru and was in the middle of summoning Palladion when she felt an electric discharge in her thrusters. She gasped as she understood what was happening and was cut off halfway when her system overloaded. There was a soft boom sound, like that of a muffled shotgun, and all her energy was drained. Tendrils of smoke drifted off her thrusters, her arms dangled from her sides, and she fell to her knees, unable to move anything but her head.

_No! Not now. Not when Minato-san is still in danger._

The thoughts were somehow louder than the internal alarm repeating in her head 'Warning! Overload!', and slowly, she looked toward the flames.

_If only my systems were functional_, she thought. _Then I can see what is happening._

She shifted her attention to Mitsuru and the others, who had the remaining Shadow cornered. At least they were now safe and didn't have to worry about–

_What is that flapping noise?_

Turning her head towards the space where the flames cast shadows, Aigis saw something rise up from the floor. Something with a cannon and a pair of wings. Normally by now, her systems would have detected a hostile enemy and instructed her to move into a better position. But she was overheated. She couldn't do anything and even moving her head was already exhausting. The one thing she could do was watch with a sense of hopelessness as the flying Shadow glided to ambush the others.

* * *

It was the loss of focus that hurt Mitsuru the most.

One minute it was all there, as calm and steady as a placid river in an untouched forest. The next, it was vaporized, just like Penthesilea. The blow was something she was getting accustomed to but Mitsuru didn't think it would happen again so soon. She was confident in Aigis buying her and the others enough time so that they could finish off the tank hull Shadow. A part of her even foolishly thought that the android could take care of the flying Shadow herself, destroying it with the ferocity of Minato's unknown Persona. Aigis was designed to do so after all. Wasn't she?

Unfortunately, mistakes were always a hop, skip and a jump away and when Mitsuru cringed at being disconnected from her Persona, her eyes found Aigis. The android was on her knees with her head drooped, and smoke was rising from her shoulders and hips. It appeared that she hadn't been harmed by the Shadow but rather herself.

_She must have done something that improves her performance at the cost of overheating. Oh why? Why at a time like this?_

She looked away from her comrade and watched as the flying Shadow continued its trigger happy havoc. With cannon blasts coming from multiple directions and the tank hull Shadow swinging its treads back and forth, Akihiko, Junpei, Yukari, Ken and Koromaru could do nothing except use their Personas as shields for themselves and Fuuka. The result was disastrous. Their Personas dropped one by one and as they did, so did their owners. Seeing her friends fall again like that brought Mitsuru back to the night they initiated a rescue operation for Fuuka. The night where everything that could have possibly gone wrong had gone wrong. It was difficult to believe that she found herself in the same predicament and a sensation similar to the one she had felt when captured by the floppy armed Shadow rose in her chest. Except this time, all the hope had winked out like a candle being exposed to winter's wind. There was going to be no thundercloud raining down electricity on the Shadow, which had now recombined into the tank. No Orpheus to catch her. No Minato to save her.

_But I don't need saving, _she thought. _I promised I would be ready for when he isn't around_.

_ I know_, her other voice said. _Right now though, you need him. And he needs you. He's in trouble back there and you know it._

That voice was right. Minato had to be in trouble. If not, he would've found a way to lower the flames by now.

_We may have repaid each other back at Shirakawa Boulevard. But I still need to make up for my mistake the night we rescued Yamagishi. _

Channeling her willpower into those thoughts, Mitsuru stood up and summoned Penthesilea. Instead of engaging the Shadow however, she turned her back to the cannon that was aimed at her and prepared to take down the flaming barrier.

* * *

On the other side of the fiery wall, several minutes before Mitsuru began her plan to extinguish the flames, Minato was fighting an uphill battle. His decision of taking the unspoken third option, which was to eliminate Strega, hadn't exactly resonated with Takaya. But it was the only logical decision. Giving up the fight against the Shadows wasn't going to happen and he certainly wasn't going to allow Takaya have his way with Mitsuru. Yet as they fought on, the air crackling every time Orpheus and Takaya's Persona – Hypnos – clashed, Minato felt he had started something he shouldn't have. It was a fleeting thought however, for all his concentration was directed at keeping up with Takaya.

The fight was nothing like fighting Shadows and the difference was obvious from the moment Orpheus first parried Hypnos' wings with his harp. In that instance, Minato felt a desire to kill flow through his body and tasted something bitter in his mouth. The feeling left as soon as Orpheus and Hypnos broke apart but returned when they struck each other again. And again. And again. He didn't know what it was until his concentration stumbled and Orpheus was struck by Hypnos. All at once, a sudden onslaught of those emotions engulfed him.

Hatred.

Anger.

Sadism.

It ran through his veins, collected in his heart and zoomed to his brain. His vision slowly turned grey and the desire to kill, to torture, to see the pain on someone's face returned in full force. Looking at Takaya, Minato felt an urge to seize his neck and watch as he struggled for air, the blood draining from his face, the wheezing noises–

_NO!_

He blocked off the thoughts and in doing so, a jolt of pain rippled through his mind, causing him to drop his saber and stagger for balance. Somehow, he managed to keep himself upright.

"What…did you do…to me?" Minato asked. He closed his eyes in an effort to focus on anything other than those deleterious thoughts.

"I've shown you my will," Takaya answered, commanding Hypnos to fall back.

"Will?"

"Yes. You see, a battle between two Persona-users really is a battle of wills. Since a Persona is a physical manifestation of a person's thoughts, a successful hit has the power to instil those thoughts and emotions into another person. It is why you felt what you felt." He smirked. "Isn't it wonderful?"

_Wonderful? How is all this hate wonderful?_ It crossed Minato's mind that Takaya was insane when he spoke of keeping the Dark Hour around and threatening Mitsuru, but what concerned him more was how he had felt, no, how he was Takaya. Even if it was just for several moments, having those thoughts in his head was dangerous. The worst part? He wanted to think those thoughts. He wanted to inflict pain. He wanted to see his victims writhe in agony.

_Then does that mean the loser of this fight loses their mind to the person with the stronger will?_ Minato didn't want to find out and with renewed vigor, he directed Orpheus to attack. Fireballs spiraled into Hypnos and Minato saw Takaya wince as his Persona was hit.

"Not bad," Takaya said, shrugging off the pain. "However, your will is nothing compared to mine. Do you know why?"

Minato ignored the question and had Orpheus attack again. This time he was not so lucky, for Takaya anticipated that and had Hypnos deflect the oncoming flames with gusts of wind.

"It is because you are holding back. If you want to beat me Arisato, you mustn't hold back."

Minato thrust his arm forward and Orpheus readied a swing at Hypnos. Again, Hypnos parried the blow with ease and countered. Sadism once more poured into Minato and he bit his lip hard to prevent it from corrupting his mind.

"Your actions deceive you," Takaya said. "Why? Why aren't you unleashing your power? Surely it is not because you hope to help your friends when you're done here."

Minato stiffened and watched as Takaya smiled. The hippie had guessed right.

"You do realize that you cannot help them in your current condition don't you?" Takaya continued.

"_He lies," _a voice whispered in Minato's head. "_You can help them. But only if you allow me to." _

"_Who are you?" _Minato asked mentally.

"_You know very well who I am. So don't waste time. Let me out and I'll see to it that they are eliminated. Then you can go and help your friends." _

In hearing the words 'let me out', it occurred to Minato that this was the being Takeharu had spoken of. The unique singular entity that was unlike any of his Personas, and responsible for causing the mayhem in the dorm all those weeks ago. Why was it speaking to him now? And how had it awakened after he'd sent it scurrying back to the depths of his mind?

"_Remember what your girlfriend's father said? I exist to protect you. So hurry up and let me handle this."_

Minato pondered over the idea. He could allow the thing to have its fun. It would at the very least end the imminent threat hanging over Mitsuru, as well as prevent any future encounters with Strega – both of which were more than viable reasons. But even so, there was a risk. What if it got out of control again? What if it destroyed Strega and the Shadow, but also harmed the others? Memories of the dorm chaos flashed in his head and while they were vague, he could clearly remember the horror on his friends' faces.

_No, I can't, _Minato thought. _It's too risky. _

"_Risky?" _the voice asked, astonished that at Minato's indecision._ "It's all or nothing right now. Besides, do you want to save _her _or not?"_

Minato's reply was interrupted when he felt a change in the clearing's temperature. It was getting cooler and the orange glow of the room was steadily fading into darkness. He glanced at Strega, and through the dark, he could make out a pair of faces that were in utter disbelief. Minato turned around and saw an exhausted Mitsuru standing inside a large dome of ice several meters away from him. She was the last person left standing against the tank-like Shadow – which was behind her – and using the dome to protect herself from the cannon blasts, she had somehow managed to extinguish the fire barrier. From his quick observation, it appeared that she had been at it for quite some time, as the ice dome didn't look like it was going to last another hit.

He was right.

A few seconds later, the Shadow fired off another round. The cannon shell slammed into the ice, cracking it, breaking it. The dome began to crumble and as it did, Minato's heart lurched. Everything but his fear for Mitsuru left him and in that instant, the unknown conscience in his mind moved forward. He cried out as he felt himself being shoved into the passenger seat of his mind but didn't bother struggling for control. He was too overwhelmed. From the heat of the room that made his head cloudy. From feeling Takaya's will that sickened him. And now from seeing Mitsuru unable to save herself. It all conglomerated into a giant sphere of emotions he couldn't hold onto.

But one that his other conscience could.

And when it did, Orpheus was ripped apart from the inside by an all too familiar Persona. Instead of destroying everything in sight however, it slashed open a pair of dark red rifts in the air. The tumbling ice was sucked into the one above Mitsuru, and then came plummeting down from the one above the Shadow moments later. Buffeted by the ice, the Shadow collapsed under the weight and disappeared momentarily under a cloud of dust and vapor.

With Mitsuru safe, the familiar Persona withdrew from combat and the other conscience pushed Minato back into control. When he felt his senses coming back – feeling the heavy air, inhaling the faint whiffs of smoke and seeing the battered state of the clearing – his eyes found Mitsuru and he ran to her.

* * *

Takaya was amazed.

He was also disappointed that their fight was interrupted but witnessing Arisato unleash that fascinating power made up for it. After all, the boy wasn't going to do so in their fight anyway. Regardless of how much he pushed, Arisato was committed to holding back. It was admirable, Takaya supposed, though he was more interested in how that burst of power had only seemed to happen when the boy saw little Miss Kirijo in peril. Was there a connection there? That seeing her inches from death triggered something? And what of the other Persona's actions? If he remembered correctly, Jin had noted down that last time it was much wilder and out of control. Again, did it have something to do with little Miss Kirijo?

Even with his hunch, Takaya wasn't sure and from the look Jin gave him, neither was he. It was irrelevant though. Because not knowing was part of the fun. It was what made finding out the truth so satisfying. Dismissing Hypnos, he gestured to Jin and turned to leave the clearing. Although he would've liked to personally finish off Arisato and the rest of S.E.E.S., there was no need to do so. He had had enough observing for one night and could feel the suppressive effects of the pill wearing off. The Shadow was already recovering anyway and Takaya doubted that they would be able to survive another attack. It was a real shame, since he was confident that Arisato's demonstration tonight was only a mere fraction of his full potential.

But the boy had made his decision.

And in refusing to choose the diplomatic option, he had paid the price.

_Perish with her together then. Saves me from wasting a bullet._

* * *

"Are you okay Mitsuru-senpai?"

In spite of the fatigue, Mitsuru opened her eyes and through her fuzzy vision, she noticed Minato kneeling beside her. She nodded weakly to his question and then all at once, everything that had transpired came back to her. The ice dome she created to protect herself from the cannon shells. The amount of energy she had used in keeping a steady beam of dry ice flowing from Penthesilea to extinguish the flames. The sharp crack that signaled her dome breaking, followed by the rift in the space above her sucking in the ice like a vacuum cleaner, and then seeing–

"That Persona," she murmured. She sat upright searching for it. "It appeared again didn't it?"

Before Minato could answer, a mechanical noise turned their attention to the Shadow. It had recuperated from its beating and was pointing its cannon right at them. Mitsuru cast a glance towards the others and grimaced. Aigis was still overheated and everyone else too weak to fight. Feeling Minato's hand on her shoulder, she placed a hand on his and looked into his eyes. They were as grey as always and looking into them made her feel calm, as if all the worries in the world had gone away. It suddenly came to her that if they were to be killed by the cannon blast, spending her final moments together with Minato was an acceptable way to go. Even if she didn't get the chance to explain her thoughts on their relationship, it was alright. For Mitsuru, just knowing that she had found her best friend again after all those years was more than enough. It–

"Castor!"

A loud whinny sounded out in the clearing and a rush of wind blew over their heads as something large sailed past. Hauled to her feet by Minato, Mitsuru allowed him to take her across the clearing to where Aigis and the others were. They both then turned around in time to see a black, blonde-haired being on an armored horse with one leg ram the Shadow into a wall.

_Is that Persona what I think it is? _Mitsuru looked to the entrance of the clearing and saw a tall figure walking in.

"Shinji?" Akihiko muttered from behind her.

Mitsuru blinked and as the figure got closer, she saw it was indeed Shinjiro. Her old comrade gave them a passing look before commanding his Persona to finish the job. Castor continued to bash the Shadow and after a couple more hits, the weakened Shadows finally exploded.

Mitsuru let out a long sigh and relaxed.

Another night was over.

* * *

Following the Shadow's destruction, Shinjiro dismissed Castor and crossed over to the sorry lot that was S.E.E.S. He was relieved that he had chosen to follow Strega though upon seeing everyone's dreadful condition, he was ashamed that he had just waited outside the complex instead of crashing the party sooner. As soon as he saw Takaya and Jin walking out, he should have known that something was wrong.

_I guess my expectations of them were too high_, he thought. After Akihiko's bravado about how they were stronger and more cohesive as a team now, Shinjiro expected that they could've taken care of themselves. Destroyed the Shadow and dealt with Strega. With someone who could switch Personas, how could have that been a problem?

The first reason came to him as he wrinkled his nose at the faint whiffs of smoke that lingered in the air. _It must have been those two assholes. They did more than just talking._ _They fought. _

But just who did Strega do battle with?

Shinjiro looked at Aigis, who was slowly lifting herself up, to Akihiko, to Mitsuru and then to Minato. All of them appeared to be more worn out than the other four; Minato and Mitsuru in particular looking even worse. On arrival, he noted that those two were together and separated from the others so perhaps Takaya and Jin had defeated them, walked out, and left the Shadow to finish them?

Shinjiro thought it possible and reminding himself to find out all the details later, he moved on to the second and more concerning reason.

Ken.

By choosing to involve the kid, they had to make sure he was kept out of harm's way as much as possible. And that meant babysitting him instead of focusing on the enemy. Combined with the fact that the clearing was such a confined space for fighting, and Strega's presence, it was a recipe for failure.

Kneeling, Shinjiro placed his hand on Ken and shook him gently. "Hey! You still alive?"

"It's you," Ken said, sitting upright. "You saved me again. Thank you very much."

Shinjiro avoided the aspiring look in the boy's eyes. "No need to thank me." He shot a questioning look at Akihiko as he helped Ken up. "What the hell happened to you guys? And what's the meaning of recruiting the kid?"

"He wanted to join," Akihiko said, rising to his feet.

"Really?"

"Affirmative," Aigis said. "I have the record of the conversation in my database. Would you like me to replay it?"

"I don't think that's necessary Aigis," Fuuka said.

"Aigis? Since when did you guys have a robot?" Shinjiro asked. He felt something furry brush his ankle and looked down to see Koromaru sniffing him. "And a dog?"

"It's a long story," Junpei said. "By the way, thanks for saving us aga–"

Yukari smacked a hand over his mouth, muffling his words.

Mitsuru cleared her throat. "A lot has happened Aragaki so if you're curious, we'll be debriefing the Chairman in the next few days. You're welcome to attend if you wish."

Shinjiro looked around at the eight pairs of eyes that were staring right back and groaned softly. He was cornered. After staying out of such matters and vowing not to return down this path for so long, he was finally cornered. A small smile broke out on his face but quickly vanished when he noticed Minato looking off to the side with a certain look. Something about that look made Shinjiro edgy, and reminded him of the way he felt every time he finished dealing with Strega.

Returning his attention to everyone else, Shinjiro considered Mitsuru's invitation. Now that he knew there would need to be another pair of eyes looking out for Ken, and that Strega had communicated something to Minato, it was difficult to say no.

_Those assholes definitely did something. I better find that out while Strega still don't know I'm with these guys. _

Letting the smile creep back, Shinjiro said, "Just save me a seat."


	28. Whitebird

**A/N: So we're almost at the end of summer arc, with this chapter being second last. It's completely opposite to the previous chapter in the sense that it is much shorter and almost all exposition. If you've been reading from the beginning, it's another one of those character specific chapters.**

**I've deliberately avoided naming the two main characters featured here as to try something new but if you've played the game or watched the movies, you'll know who both of them are. **

**Enjoy the chapter and a****s for what's coming next, it will be the promised 'large' moment between Minato and Mitsuru. **

* * *

He watched her.

He had no idea how he hadn't noticed her earlier when he arrived at Port Island Station. Long red hair. Snowy complexion. She was a doll out of a very high budget movie. Perhaps one that had something to do with vampires, given her costume of a Gothic white dress, white stockings, heeled shoes, and a frilly headband that would have made her right at home in Mitsuru's mansion if it weren't for the dagger attached to it.

_Maybe she's an actress shooting a scene right now_, he thought._ Like seriously, who sits in the middle of a train station looking like that, and just writes in their notebook?_

He felt proud and smart to arrive at such a conclusion but as he looked around, he realized that there were no cameramen or filming crew anywhere. Just the usual flow of people on a Thursday afternoon during the summer break; businessmen hurrying around and speaking into their cell phones, students walking in and out of the cinema, young couples enjoying each other's company at the block of cafes and restaurants.

_Man, how do I keep coming up with crazy crap like that? _

He shook his head, relieved that he hadn't spoken those thoughts aloud as well as the fact that Yukari was back at the dorm. If she had been here, he could expect another of those usual comments about how he was stupid. And then he'd tell her he isn't stupid and she'd say 'Oh yes you are' before following up with one of the many stories she knew of him failing epically and how that mistake is related to the mistake he made just then and…

_Yeesh._

He turned his attention back to the Gothic girl sitting on the edge of a flowerbed filled with red astilbes. As he admired how well the backdrop of Gekkoukan High beneath an amber sky suited her, it occurred to him that he was interested to find out who she was, what she was about, and whatever she was doing with that notebook. It was an unusual feeling, and although there were plenty of attractive girls in school, none of them made him feel this attracted.

_It's gotta be the hair. That red color… Dammit Minato! You passed over your thing for redheads!_

He suppressed a chuckle and sighed. He admitted Mitsuru wasn't the first girl he thought Minato would go for (his initial bet was Yukari), but after all the time the two had spent together and their hardships with each full moon operation, he understood to some degree how they…clicked. There was chemistry and for him, it was especially notable in Tartarus, where it was a joy to watch them fight off Shadows with such impeccable coordination. He wasn't sure if the others noticed this but even if they didn't, they would have at least seen how their moods lifted whenever they were around each other.

The signs for them to get together were all there and Minato had yet to ask her out. He'd been wondering what exactly was taking his friend so long to ask a simple question though supposed that it wasn't as easy as it looked to be. Despite their closeness, Mitsuru was still the most admired girl in the school after all. First class grades. First class looks. A prestigious family name. Compared to her, Minato wasn't doing so well in the school's social ranking (the norm for transfer students in Gekkoukan High, even those who aced the exams) and already had enough haters to fill a fleet of double-decker buses. If they ever got together, it would have to be in secret with the utmost discretion. Doing anything else would risk students finding out and the fact that they were working together in the Student Council wouldn't help them much. But knowing Gekkoukan High students and their knack for amassing tons of information, true and false, the secret would eventually leak out somehow and as far as he was concerned, that would mark the end of his high schooling life.

As well as countless others.

Regardless, that wasn't factoring in how his friend would go about in handling what was definitely the more troublesome obstacle. Mitsuru's father. From the meetings in Yakushima, he knew Takeharu was a daunting individual who obviously wanted his daughter to be dating someone of a similar social status. It was how the world worked. Rich people getting richer by getting together with other rich people. Perhaps Takeharu had a suitor waiting for her. Perhaps she was already seeing that suitor. He often wondered why Mitsuru came back at very late hours on some days, sometimes looking sad and irritated, other times looking happy and content. If that was because she was truly seeing someone else, then what chance did Minato have? What could his friend offer her that other rich people couldn't?

_Slow the thoughts dude. He has every chance as that fake rich asshole. Hell, he has more cos fighting together like this does things to people that regular dating can't. And as for Kirijo-san, well, with brains like theirs, they'll be able to work something out. _

In any case, he admired Minato's tenacity of really going after what he wanted. He remembered how Minato hadn't shown too much interest when they were speaking of last year's prank – something most guys would have celebrated over. _I guess that's what happens when you have someone you like. You got a reason to keep fighting. A purpose to keep living._

He wasn't sure that he could say that he had a reason to fight with confidence. After the revelation at Yakushima and the encounter with Strega, he had been questioning if he really wanted this whole ordeal to be over. It was the right thing to do to end the suffering the Shadows had caused but at the same time, the fighting would come to a close. And if Takaya was to be believed, everything would end. No more forays into Tartarus. No more Personas. No more being a hero at night. The only thing left was to finish school and if he was good enough and didn't fail the entrance exams (which was going to be a reality with his grades), maybe get lucky enough to go to university. He'd return to his former, pathetic ordinary life. He found it odd at how someone as crazy as Takaya could be so correct and while he didn't fully agree that the Dark Hour should be kept around, he did see its merits with more clarity.

_C'mon man, there's gotta be a way out of this mess. Think._

He thought hard, and as his eyes darted back to the Gothic girl, he realized she was the answer. At least, she had the potential to be. Meeting and dating a pretty girl was something he always wanted to do and now, with someone so stunning in front of him, was the perfect opportunity to do so. By having someone to protect, to fight for, he would have a renewed reason to fight and be able to ignore Takaya's threats. He doubted it would reach the level of what Mitsuru meant to Minato but it was a start.

"Move."

He blinked. Who had said that? He glanced around, searching for anyone who might have wanted him to–

"Did you not hear me? I said move."

He turned in the direction of the soft, feminine voice and found himself looking at the Gothic girl again. Was it her who spoke? He thought not for her eyes were still focused on her notebook but then who else in the vicinity had a voice like that? No, it had to be her and realizing that it was made him panic.

_Crap. This is not how I want my first impression to be. _

"Uh, s-sorry," he said.

He moved out of her line of sight but kept her in view as he headed towards the escalator that went up to the train platform. The girl remained silent and continued to scribble in her notebook. From where he stood, her pen movements implied that she was drawing something.

"What do you want?"

Her voice caught him off guard once again and he froze, unsure of what to do.

"If you have nothing to say," she continued without looking at him, "then get out of my way. I can't see."

He considered arguing that he wasn't even blocking her view of anything but decided against it. There was no need to make a scene here, especially over something so trivial. Adjusting his cap, he turned, ascended the escalator, walked to the platform and boarded the train back to the dorm. He couldn't believe at how fast she had rejected him and didn't bother looking him in the eye. It was as if he was a mere peasant who would be punished for just looking at a high ranking noble. Disappointment filled his otherwise empty mind and as the train zoomed to Iwatodai Station, he couldn't stop thinking about whether it could've gone any differently.

_Oh who am I kiddin'? There's no way it could have gone any differently. She wasn't even interested in anything but her notebook! _Exiting the train and leaving the station, he gazed at the tall building not too far in the distance that was the dorm.

_Maybe I was wrong, _he thought while walking._ Maybe she isn't meant to be that person. _

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense to him. Meeting a girl like that and later having that girl as a partner was something you could find in cheap romantic paperbacks. It was fiction. Not reality. Still, there was something about her that intrigued him and not being able to know what it was annoyed him.

_If this is how Minato feels in not knowing if Mitsuru-senpai likes him that way, then I can see how I pissed him off back at Shirakawa. Cos it makes you feel like shit. Man, how the hell has he been coping with it for so long?_

It was a question he mentally noted down to ask Minato later and after storing it in his 'to do' list, a thought came flying into his mind like the way a pigeon would sometimes fly straight into a glass window. If the girl was drawing something, which he was sure of considering her pen moved in different directions and not from left to right, then she had to be drawing her own rendition of Port Island Station. And if she hadn't finished yet, then she would need to go back there to capture whatever details she had missed.

He smiled. There was still a chance to see her and talk to her properly. Keeping his hopes up, he returned to Port Island Station the very next day at the same time.

And did not see her sitting by the edge of the flowerbed.

He frowned, and thinking that he arrived too early, he sat on one of the benches outside the cinema and searched through the flow of people for a girl with long red hair in a white Gothic dress.

A minute passed. No luck. Well that was okay. A minute was too short.

He waited another minute.

Then five.

Then fifteen.

He waited until the sun left the sky bruised and the station was beginning to fill with the rush hour crowd before deciding she wasn't going to show up. It was still okay, he told himself. She could be busy with other things and probably didn't have time for drawing today.

_I'll just come back tomorrow. _

And so he did.

With no success.

As he made his way back to the dorm, he thought it possible that drawing could be a weekly activity for her. Not a daily one. After all, she hadn't been at the Station in the last two days and he was certain he would have seen her if she had been wearing the same outfit. Thinking that that was the case, he decided to return to Port Island Station in five days' time – exactly a week after he first saw her. Although it didn't guarantee seeing her, it would at least save him from wasting time.

So he waited. The days trudged along, the speed at which they passed that of a sloth's. He wondered if he had made the right choice in deciding to wait it out like this, that his assumption of her turning up in five days' time was correct. It worried him that at any time, she could be there at the station and he was hanging around somewhere else. There were only a finite number of times she would need to be there before her drawing would be completed and if he had to judge her progress, it was safer to assume she was almost done than just beginning.

After what felt like a month, the day finally arrived. The waiting wasn't over yet however, and throughout the morning and early afternoon, he found it hard to contain his restlessness. For once, he was glad to get into arguments with Yukari. It helped relieved the stress. Once the sun had begun its preparation of calling it a day, he was out of the dorm and on his way to Port Island Station. This was it. He was going to see her again. Thoughts of how their meeting would unfold this time popped into his mind but he pushed them aside to focus on how he would approach her.

_I definitely can't stare at her again. And I can't stand so that I'm blocking whatever it is I'm blocking. What should I do?_

He was still thinking when the train arrived and was so lost in his thoughts that he almost forgot to disembark. Scrambling to his feet, he left the train and groaned when he saw the crowd. Although it should have been busier on the opposite platform – the one heading back to Iwatodai – there was just as many people on this side. He followed the mass of people down the stairs and upon reaching the station, he began slipping through whatever gaps he could find in the crowd.

Once he was out into the square, he immediately located the flowerbed with the red astilbes and directed his eyes to the left, hoping to see her sitting on the edge with her notebook.

But she wasn't there this time either.

His heart sank. He'd come here thrice and each time had been a failure. Turning back to the station, he sighed. It was just like when he tried joining the junior high baseball team. Three swings he was allowed. And three strikes he had achieved. He could faintly hear the voice of his would be baseball coach yelling 'You're out!'

_Heh, you're right this time as well coach. Man, maybe I'm really wasting my time and the universe is telling me she really isn't that special. _

Accepting that it was just better to forget about her, he boarded the next train home.

The remainder of the summer break went by, the heat beginning to give way to the cool of autumn. Between his daily banter with Yukari, the almost nightly visits to Tartarus – courtesy of Akihiko who insisted they better train up for the next full moon, and the climax of Mitsuru's summer schooling sessions (she had managed to persuade everyone to attend) which resulted in providing a glimmer of hope for his plans after high school, the memory of the red haired girl in the white Gothic dress was the furthest thing in his mind. He never really forgot her though and every time he passed through Port Island Station, he glanced at the flowerbed, always hoping she would be there, but knowing deep down that he couldn't expect to see her.

Just a week and a half before the summer break ended however, he did.

Leaving the cinema after a full day marathon of heroic films, he looked towards the flowerbed and there she was, sitting on the edge, drawing. He couldn't believe it. She was there. He didn't know whether it was a mark of fate or coincidence, but accepting it as both, he took a deep breath and approached her.

"You again?" she asked, this time looking up from her work with eyes the color of the amber sky.

"U-Uh…I'm surprised you remember me" he said.

"Same here."

She turned her attention back to what he now saw was a sketchbook and continued to draw.

"So uh, what are you drawing?" he asked after introducing himself. He contemplated the idea of sitting beside her but it was probably a bad idea given how reserved she was.

"Nothing in particular. Why are you asking?"

"Well I was just thinking that um, it must be nice to have something you really enjoy."

"It's not that big of a deal. I just draw whatever I see in my head and only do it because I like to."

"Oh. Still, I'd like to see it sometime."

She closed her notebook and in doing so, he noticed her right hand was painted red.

"H-Hey wait a minute! You're bleeding!" he said.

She continued to ignore him, stood up and prepared to leave. Not wanting to let her go without at least tending to her injury, he seized her right arm.

"What's wrong with you? Can't you mind your own business?" she said, twirling to glare at him. Her voice was soft and hollow but it had an edge that could cut ice.

"Not when I see someone who's hurt," he replied. "C'mon, let me help you."

The girl scoffed. "Why are you in such a panic?"

"Are you kiddin' me? Anyone would be panicking over this."

"Hmph, you're weird," she said and pulling her hand out from his grip, she turned and started to leave again. Before she did though, she gave him a sidelong glance. "By the way, I'm almost done with the picture. I doubt you'll understand what I'm drawing but since you're so interested, you know where to find me."

Without another word, she walked away. He watched her go, satisfied that he had finally managed to speak with her. Even if it had lasted less than a few minutes, it was enough since there would be a next time. He couldn't wait and as he headed back to the dorm, he realized he never got her name. He cursed under his breath, slightly annoyed that he had forgotten to ask such a simple question, but then remembered she didn't bother to provide one. He cast the thought aside. He would find out later. For now, she would be known as the girl in the white dress.

The white bird.


	29. FES

**A/N: So here's the final chapter of the summer arc. Sorry it took so long but in addition to being busy, I also wanted to make sure something as delicate as this chapter was written right. This is especially applicable to the final scenes of the chapter where the shipping occurs. **

**I don't know if the moment(s) between the two is what you were expecting but it is a milestone in their relationship and that's what I've said from the beginning. If you're worried that their moment(s) isn't 'large' enough, there'll be plenty more to come in the autumn/fall arc. **

**Aside from the main attraction, I've also tried a section in Koromaru's POV. It's the first time I've written from a non-human POV so if you've got any comments or thoughts about how I handled that, I'd greatly appreciate it. Additionally, I've made Naganaki Shrine much larger than it is in the game. If you have seen the second movie, you'll likely have an idea why.**

**Anyway enjoy the update and next time, we'll be heading into the storm of the autumn/fall arc. **

* * *

The thing about fast food restaurants that intrigued Minato was how so many different stores could make business out of what was more or less the same meal. Burgers. French Fries. Soda. It was all the same. Whether you went to a McDonald's or a Mos Burger, you could find each item on the menu. Sure there were things that they did to differentiate, perhaps using a different sauce or higher quality ingredients but as a whole? You were still eating a burger and fries.

This was not so at Wild-Duck Burger.

While the premium burger joint in Iwatodai Station kept to the standard formula, they also deviated from it in both the food and dining experience. As soon as you walked in, you were greeted with quacking noises and air that was redolent of duck fat and cooking meat. Their comprehensive menu was wacky, including burgers with eccentric meats (there was currently a limited time offer for the all new 'Frog Burger'), to those that used raw seafood (sashimi burgers anyone?) and to those that stuffed so much toppings between the bun that you had to use a knife and fork to eat. They even had a mascot standing by the counter – a blue-green duck with a yellow beak that hung open and comical eyes that constantly darted from left to right.

It was difficult to judge whether the mascot designers had aimed to create a cute character that enticed customers to come in and eat, or one that stood looking at you like an obsessed fangirl as you queued to order. Minato thought it was both as he took his eyes off the mascot and back to his friends.

Summer vacation was almost over, with just over a week remaining. It was hard to believe his third last school semester was fast approaching and even harder to believe that so much had happened in the span of a season. Meeting new allies and making new enemies. Going to Yakushima and learning how to end the Shadow threat as well as the hidden power of this malicious, sentient entity that dwelled within his psyche. Improving his combat skills and coping with his limitations. It was by far the most productive summer and it was soon coming to a close. He felt content in knowing that he'd set out to achieve most of the things he wanted done, but as he sat with Junpei, Akihiko, Yukari, Fuuka and Ken at one of the large booths for a late lunch, he remained unsatisfied with the one loose end. The one unresolved matter that had haunted him ever since the operation at Shirakawa Boulevard.

What did Mitsuru feel for him?

It was the issue he'd intended to deal with as soon as he was released from hospital following the incident. And if it weren't for Junpei's jealously, Aigis' attachment, the assignment of watching Ken that had taken him out of Mitsuru's sight and every other delay he could recall, he would by now either have had his heart crushed or a blossoming relationship.

The problem wasn't that there were no opportunities to ask her. It was that those opportunities were never the right ones. There were always interruptions (the amount of calls for her to turn up at the Kirijo Group headquarters was roughly equal to the amount of times someone would squeeze themselves into their conversation) and he knew that something so delicate required both of them to be alone together and in the best frame of mind. After all, neither of them had much experience in transforming friendship into an intimate relationship.

He sighed and sipped his soda, the fizziness sending a jolt through his throat and nose. Although there was still time to think of a way to get her alone, he knew it was better to do it in the next few days than to wait for school to resume. Once the semester began, the pool of opportunities would become even smaller than it already was.

"I hope Aigis is going to be okay," Fuuka said beside him. "Powering herself up like that and then overheating can't be good for her."

"I'm sure she's gonna be fine," Yukari said. She was seated at the far end on the opposite side of the table. "Mitsuru-senpai and the Kirijo Group know what they're doing."

"I guess. But even so, she's still going to use it often isn't she?"

"Well we could restrict her to usage to full moon operations," Akihiko suggested, folding his arms. He was also on the opposite end of the table and sat facing Minato. "Orgia Mode isn't necessary for Tartarus."

"Like she'll listen to us," Yukari said. She then looked at Minato. "Maybe you could remind her to stop using it. Since she's _your_ bodyguard after all."

Minato shrugged. Since the last operation, Aigis had been extremely keen on activating Orgia Mode, insisting that it would benefit them by reducing the time spent in combat and accelerating their climb of the tower. During the battles with some of the tougher Shadows that guarded certain floors, her reason was justified. But doing so in small skirmishes that were over within twenty seconds? It was irrational and had led to her breaking down like an old battered car dying in the middle of a highway several times. Minato thought she was engaging in such activity to test out her performance and compile data on it but surely she was smart enough to know how much it overworked her.

"I'll give it a try when she gets back but I'm not promising anything," Minato said. "She doesn't even listen to me sometimes."

"Yeah, just like the day after we came back from Yakushima," Junpei said, leaning against the wall with an arm on the cushion top. "Man that was a weird day."

"What happened?" Ken asked.

"Long story short, Aigis annoyed Minato for the whole week," Yukari answered.

Ken looked to Minato. "In that case, moving to my dorm must've been a huge relief for you Minato-san."

"Well, yes and no," Minato replied.

"Anyway," Yukari said, "Fuuka, about that festival the day after tomorrow, are you going to wear a yukata?"

"Well I'm planning to," Fuuka said. "I've never worn one before though so…"

Junpei perked up, a cheeky grin forming. "A yukata? Hey that means–"

He cut off and bit back a cry of pain as Yukari kicked him in the shin. Junpei glared at her. She simply smiled back.

"I don't get it. What's the big deal about a yukata?" Ken asked. "It's just an informal kimono isn't it?"

Everyone except Ken exchanged a look with each other.

"I'll tell ya later," Junpei said, rubbing his shin.

"No you won't!" Yukari scoffed.

"Give me a break Yuka-tan. I can't help it if he wants to know."

"Yes you can. And for the record, there's nothing to know."

The two of them continued to bicker. Minato, Fuuka, Akihiko and Ken decided it was best to leave them be and they turned to have their own discussion.

"So Ken, you're going too right?" Fuuka asked. "To the festival?"

"I'm not sure yet," Ken replied. His cheeks then turned a bright pink. "But um, do you guys think Aragaki-san might be going as well?"

"I don't really know if he will," Akihiko said, "but I know festivals aren't really Shinji's thing. There's no harm in asking him though. In fact, why don't we go ask him right now?"

"You'd do that for me?"

"Sure. If we can find him."

As Akihiko, Ken and Fuuka prepared to stop the argument and inform Yukari and Junpei of what they were planning to do, Minato wondered if he would be able to get Mitsuru alone at the Summer Festival. He certainly wanted her in his sights as much as possible, if only to ensure that she wasn't harmed by Strega. Takaya hadn't explicitly stated the plans he had for Mitsuru but not telling when he would strike as well as whether he would was the best plan. It created uncertainty and instilled fear. Even right now, with Mitsuru safe in the Kirijo Group labs, he was anxious for her. What if Takaya was waiting for her to come out? What if Takaya had disguised himself and sneaked into the headquarters of the Group? Both thoughts were preposterous as Minato was sure Takaya wasn't stupid enough to do either of those things.

But he had thought of them.

Following the others out of Wild-Duck Burger (Quack Quack!) and into the busy streets of Iwatodai station, he glanced at Naganaki Shrine on the distant mountaintop. In two days' time, the shrine would burst into action as people came to enjoy the festivities. Crowds would be in abundance and alongside it, danger. Because if anything would happen

_(Nothing's going to happen you're just thinking too much into this.)_

it would be somewhere with many people and dim lighting – the shadows cast by both distorting what was there and what wasn't.

"Hey dude, you spacin' out again?"

Minato blinked and found everyone looking at him curiously. "Sorry. What did I miss?"

"We're splitting up in pairs to find Shinjiro-senpai," Fuuka said. "Ken wants to go with Akihiko-senpai and I'm going with Yukari so that leaves you with Junpei. Is that alright?"

"That's fine. But wouldn't it be easier if we just call him?"

Akihiko chuckled. "You'd think that would work but Shinji rarely carries his phone around. He never was too keen on the whole long distance communication thing. Anyway, I'll take Ken and have a look around in Port Island Station. You guys go to Paulownia Mall." He turned to the girls. "And you two can search around here. We'll meet back at the dorm in an hour. That sound good?"

Everyone nodded and split up.

As Minato made his way to Paulownia Mall with Junpei, he wasn't sure how they would find Shinjiro wandering around. Especially in a shopping complex. If anything, their best chance was to return to the courtyard in the back alleys of Port Island Station where the punks had attacked them. Such an excursion however, would never happen again.

"Dammit, he ain't here," Junpei said after half an hour.

They had walked around the entire mall without any success and were now sitting on one of the many benches in the center of the mall where the trio of wishing fountains were. Memories of Elizabeth pouring the contents of her purse resurfaced and Minato curled his lips into a smile.

"Man, I thought he'd be easy to find since he's so tall," Junpei continued.

"Well, we might as well go back," Minato said. "Unless you still want to check–"

"Uh-uh. That ain't happening. We vowed on it remember?"

"I know. Just checking to see if you changed your mind."

"Well it hasn't. By the way dude, you get a chance to ask Mitsuru-senpai yet?"

"No but I'm thinking of doing it as the festival. The only problem is–"

"You guys need to be alone yeah? Don't worry, I'll keep Yuka-tan and the rest of em out of your way."

"Thanks."

"No need to thank me. It's what bros are for. I dunno if I can keep Ai-chan away though so you may have to deal with her yourself."

Minato cursed silently. He had forgotten about Aigis. Never mind her attachment issues, it was her mission of bringing Mitsuru to the summer festival regardless of any objections that bothered him.

_But at least she's another pair of eyes who can keep a lookout for Takaya._

"I'll figure something out," Minato said. He stood up. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Koromaru waited patiently in the dorm's dining area.

He always knew it was time to eat when he saw _Beanie Guy_ in the kitchen and smelt the wafting aroma of cooking meat. To have dinner, he had to be a good dog. And to be a good dog, he had to sit and wait. It was especially important when _Beanie Guy_ was doing the cooking because the food tasted better. Compared to the biscuits everyone else gave him, it was full of flavor. Koromaru did receive leftovers from everyone else too but it was an occurrence as rare as going on a walk three times a day.

That was why he liked _Beanie Guy_ the best_._ Because _Beanie Guy_ gave him nice food and nice cuddles and more food and more cuddles. _Miniskirt Girl _and _Computer Girl_ also gave him nice cuddles as well but they couldn't give food that was as good as _Beanie Guy._ In fact, their cooking was bad.

Very bad.

Koromaru didn't understand how someone could get cooking wrong. Yet on one night, _Miniskirt Girl _did by serving him burnt food. _Cap Guy_ had laughed his head off that evening, apparently amused at the fact that the burnt food wasn't eaten. Koromaru didn't understand that either. What was so funny about not eating burnt food? Nobody would eat burnt food. It was common sense.

Then again, _Cap Guy_ was usually silly and said silly things. Like how he wanted to be a dog to avoid going to summer school, and how he wanted to be a dog so that he could get a girl's attention, and how he wanted to be a dog so that he could be less of a target when they went fighting at Tart "R" Us. _Cap Guy_ wasn't nearly as cool as _Pockets Guy_, _Shorts Boy,_ _Boots Lady _and _Akee_, all of whom would take him out for an evening walk. _Cap Guy_ couldn't match _Miniskirt Girl _and _Computer Girl _either, and he certainly wasn't like _Beanie Guy_.

Because _Beanie Guy _was the best.

The sizzling sound suddenly stopped and Koromaru's ears perked up. He wagged his tail rapidly, panted in excitement and looked up with glee at _Beanie Guy_.

"There you go," _Beanie Guy_ said, kneeling to place the silver bowl in front of Koromaru. "That's your dinner."

Koromaru didn't waste any time and attacked the meat patty. He took one bite and recoiled. It was delicious. But also very, very hot.

"Oh crap, it's too hot for you?" _Beanie Guy_ said. He placed his hands on Koromaru's cheeks and gently massaged them.

That was another reason why he liked _Beanie Guy_. The massages.

"There, there," _Beanie Guy _said, now patting Koromaru's head. "Eat it slowly now."

Koromaru did. Partly because he knew how to enjoy good food and partly because _Beanie Guy _told him to. And _Beanie Guy _was always right.

Because _Beanie Guy_ was the best.

* * *

Shinjiro watched Koromaru eat.

He still believed it was unusual for a dog to have a Persona but after some convincing and live demonstrations in Tartarus, he accepted it. If Minato could wield more than one, if an android with an artificial psyche could have one, then a dog could have one too. It was not that weird.

_ At this point, it wouldn't even be weird if inanimate objects, like a car, got a Persona_. _Though if cats started getting them too, that would be horrible._

He shivered at the thought. Shinjiro never liked cats. They weren't as cute or loyal or fun as dogs. They were snobbish creatures who looked down at you and didn't show any appreciation for your love. His former caretaker in the orphanage would have scolded him if he had said that aloud (Shinjiro remembered that he did once or twice and somehow avoided getting into trouble) but it was the truth. What other animal would always have your back? What other animal expressed such open affection? Definitely not a–

The front door opened.

Shinjiro looked up and saw Yukari and Fuuka entering. He then looked down at himself, specifically the pink apron he always wore when he was cooking, and panicked. Since he had rejoined S.E.E.S., he had taken a great effort in keeping everything related to cooking – his skills, cookbooks and magazines, and apron – hidden from everyone, embarrassed that if someone found out, they'd make fun of him for the rest of the year. Or even worse, ask him to cook dinner every night. He swore he wouldn't ever let that happen, especially with that idiot boxer around. But now it was becoming a possibility.

"So this is where you were Shinjiro-senpai," Fuuka said. "We were looking for you."

"Y-You were?"

Fuuka nodded and then eyed him from head to toe with a strange look on her face. "Hang on, is that a cooking apron? Do you cook?"

Shinjiro tried to respond but what came out of his mouth was an unintelligible mess.

"Wow, I didn't know you could cook Shinjiro-senpai," Yukari said. "And for Koro-chan no less. He's a pretty picky eater. Maybe you could teach Fuuka a few tricks."

"What?" Shinjiro said, standing up and taking off his apron.

"You could teach me how to cook better," Fuuka said, taking a step forward. "That is, if you want to…"

Yukari placed a hand on Fuuka's shoulder. "What are you saying Fuuka? Of course he'll teach you." She gave Shinjiro a cheeky grin. "Right senpai?"

Before Shinjiro could answer, the door opened once more to reveal Minato, Junpei, Akihiko and Ken. Shinjiro immediately put his hands behind his back as to hide the apron and moved away from Koromaru, who was just about done eating.

"Oh hey, you girls got back before us," Junpei said. He frowned as he noticed the two girls staring at a flustered Shinjiro as if he were some celebrity. "Uh, what's going on here?"

"Nothing's going on," Shinjiro said, avoiding the girls' eyes. "They said they were looking for me. I don't know what for." He paused. "Do you guys know why?"

"Actually we do," Akihiko said. "Ken wanted to ask you something."

Shinjiro looked at the boy, careful to keep the apron out of sight. "What's up kiddo?"

"Aragaki-san, I was just wondering, are you going to the festival the day after tomorrow?" Ken asked.

_So they were looking for me for the kid's sake. Are they really that bored?_

"Sorry but I'm not interested," Shinjiro said.

"C'mon Shinji," Akihiko said. "It'll be fun. Just like the good old days."

"If you're thinking of having another takoyaki eating competition, you better think again."

"Another… Hey! I mentioned nothing of the sort."

Shinjiro sighed, rolled his eyes, and turned back to Ken. "Look kid, the bottom line is I don't go to festivals. Not my scene. "

"Oh, I see," Ken said, looking down.

The dispirited look on the Ken's face made Shinjiro feel a little bad. The boy had clearly wanted him to come along and turning down the invitation in front of everyone was, Shinjiro thought, the worst way for it to go down. Even so, it was for the best. The idea of spending time with the boy wasn't what made him afraid. It was the chance that the kid might start talking about his deceased mother. From what Akihiko and Mitsuru had told him, Ken firmly believed it was the Shadows who had killed his mother that night. And although that was false, Shinjiro saw no reason to expose the truth just yet.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind senpai?" Yukari asked.

"I'm pretty su–" Shinjiro started before stopping as he inspected Yukari's eyes. They had flashed with mischief. "Wait. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh no reason. It's just that if you won't go with Ken, then I suppose you'll be okay if I mentioned to everyone that you're a really goo–"

Shinjiro raised his arms, exposing the apron he held in his right hand. "H-Hey! Don't tell them!" He regretted the words instantly and smacked the palm of his left hand to his face. There went his secret. And his apron. Admitting defeat, he took his hand off his face and looked at Ken. "Oh screw it. I'll go with you. But I'll have you know, going to a festival with me is totally gonna blow."

* * *

A warm breeze blew through the rows of stalls set up at Naganaki Shrine, carrying with it the elegant sounds of a koto, the laughter of children, and the appetizing smells of deep fried foods. It had been a little over a decade since Minato had last visited a summer festival but walking through the maze-like streets with everyone sans Mitsuru and Aigis (they had promised to meet at the shrine itself) was enough to stir up memories of going to festivals with his parents. There wasn't much he could recall from those times; the images were too vague, the sounds were too muffled and every time he tried to reach out with his mind, the threads of memories ran away from him like a flock of birds taking to the sky after a gunshot. The only clear memory was seeing the paper lanterns hanging in the air for the first time. Strung in graceful, curving arcs, he remembered marveling at their pastel glow and trying to count how many there were. Looking back, it was probably the most childish thing he'd done but that was the whole point of festival. They existed for celebratory purposes as well as reminding you that there were still times where you could enjoy goofing around and not worry about the future. Even now as he admired the lanterns, the wind causing them to sway back and forth like children on a swing, he could feel himself absorbing the festive atmosphere. And that was the same as it had been all those years ago.

Pulled out of his thoughts by Koromaru barking joyfully, he watched the dog race off to two figures that were standing beside a mask stall. Minato and the others followed him. As they neared, he saw that it was actually Mitsuru and Aigis, and he couldn't resist a smile upon overhearing their conversation.

"What is that?" Aigis was saying. She was dressed in a dark blue floral patterned yukata and blended in surprisingly well with the crowd.

"It's called a 'mask'," Mitsuru replied. "People sometimes wear it over their face for fun."

"I do not comprehend. How is hiding your face fun?"

"The purpose isn't to hide your face. Rather, you wear it to have a different face. It's a bit difficult to explain. Hmm. How about I– Oh? Koromaru?"

Mitsuru stopped speaking as she noticed Koromaru approaching them, his tail wagging. She then looked up and saw everyone gathering around them. Yukari and Fuuka were dressed for the occasion – the former in a checked orange-white yukata with a yellow sash, the latter in a light blue floral patterned yukata with a red sash – while the boys were all in their usual summer outfits. Shinjiro however, was still dressed in that maroon jacket of his and looked completely out of place. She was surprised that he was here and wondered how he'd been convinced to come along.

"Leave it to Koromaru to find you guys so quickly," Akihiko said. "How'd the evaluation go?"

"It was fine I suppose. We couldn't find a solution to prevent Orgia Mode from wearing her out so we just reprogrammed her system to only activate it in emergency situations," Mitsuru said.

"I see."

"But she's fine right?" Fuuka asked.

"Don't worry Fuuka-san," Aigis responded. "I am well and have been strictly instructed on how to best operate my functions."

"Look at you guys, talking so seriously," Yukari said. "Come on, let's save that for a later meeting and enjoy the festival."

Mitsuru looked at her and smiled. "You're right. We can discuss this later."

Yukari beamed at this. "That aside, was it really alright to bring Aigis here? I mean, I know she's in a yukata but…"

"It couldn't be helped. She really wanted to go and when the Chairman heard, he said it would be a good opportunity to test her ability to interact with a large group of people. I-Iori? W-Why are you staring at me like that?"

All eyes turned to Junpei, whose attention was fixated on Mitsuru.

"Mitsuru-senpai…" Junpei said. "That yukata… You look hot. I, um…I mean…"

Minato thumped Junpei's back, causing him to pinwheel his arms for balance and sending everyone else into small fits of laughter. He too had been stunned by how well Mitsuru's white yukata embellished with a pink flower pattern and green sash suited her, but was wise enough to not stare at her like how the mascot in Wild-Duck Burger stared at you while you ordered. He had fallen for that once before on a moonlit bridge, a second time in that forsaken hotel, and even a third time on the sandy beaches of Yakushima. He wouldn't fall for it again.

"I don't think he's wrong though," Fuuka said as the laughter died down. "Mitsuru-senpai's yukata is really adult-like isn't it?"

Mitsuru's cheeks turned a light pink. "H-Huh? W-What are you saying?"

"Yeah. With your hair tied up like that, you kinda have this sexy look to you as well," Yukari said. She turned to the boys. "You guys think so too right?"

Junpei nodded furiously, Akihiko and Ken exchanged a glance before nodding slowly, and Shinjiro averted his eyes to a nearby yakitori stall.

Glancing at Mitsuru again, Minato couldn't agree more. Although her usual look of letting her long, flowing red hair down was attractive (and it still remained his favorite), he was beginning to like this new geisha-like style. It was different and made her look even more elegant than before. He took his eyes off her for a moment as to not fall in the trance he had experienced three times and peered at the crowd ahead of them.

He froze.

Standing in the center of the street, with the masses of children and adults not giving him a second glance, was Takaya. Minato couldn't believe the leader of Strega was actually here and although he had mentally prepared himself for the situation, he still wasn't ready when Takaya pulled out his revolver and aimed it at Mitsuru. He was unable to turn his eyes away from the sadistic grin and stalking yellow eyes and could only watch with helplessness as the trigger was pulled, the crack of the gun–

–coming from his right?

Minato blinked and looked around. On his right was a shooting stall, where a group of young boys were shooting the displayed prizes with rifles that spat out corks. He sighed and returned his gaze to where Takaya was standing.

And found the leader of Strega nowhere to be seen. So was it just a hallucination then? A vision conjured by his paranoia? If so then Takaya was a genius because being consumed by fear like this meant that there wouldn't be any bloodshed. S.E.E.S. would implode and it would start with someone going crazy.

Minato took a deep breath. He wouldn't let Takaya's threat get to him. Not on such a joyful occasion. Besides, as anonymous as Takaya could be in the crowds, it was just as easy to pick him out as suspicious from the way he dressed and kept his revolver. Stomping his anxiety with those thoughts, he returned his attention to his friends. Junpei was cradling his foot, Yukari had a satisfied grin on her face, and Ken was bewildered at something and was looking to ask Akihiko for clarification. Mitsuru, Fuuka and Aigis were discussing what the latter thought of wearing a yukata.

And Shinjiro was eyeing him.

Or he had been before averting his gaze and shuffling towards Ken and Akihiko. Minato creased his brow slightly. It hadn't been the first time Shinjiro had done this and seeing it again made him wonder what evaluative look was for.

_Is he trying to tell me something? Or is he just bored? _Minato couldn't think of anything that would need to be discussed in private apart from the slim chance Shinjiro had figured out his situation with Mitsuru. And even if he did deduce it, what did it matter to him? Yes he may have known Mitsuru for as long as Akihiko had, but he had walked out on them after that accident and wanted nothing to do with S.E.E.S. Over those two years, Minato knew from Mitsuru that Shinjiro had just kept in touch with Akihiko, and that the amount of times he had contacted them were less than five. So to show an interest in their problems, especially that of Mitsuru's, didn't seem right at all.

"So are we just gonna stand around here talking about clothing and looks?" Shinjiro asked, breaking up the discussions. "Cos that ain't what I signed up for."

"Well, we could–" Akihiko began.

"Don't even think about it."

"I-I'd like to go to the goldfish scooping stall," Ken said. "That is, if it's fine by you Aragaki-senpai."

Shinjiro glanced at Yukari, whose eyes told him all he needed to know if he didn't grant Ken's wish. "Yeah sure. But all of you are coming along as well."

And with that, they made their way through the crowds in search of the nearest goldfish scooping stall. Seeing the joyful look on Ken's face reminded Minato of when he had tried scooping goldfish as a child. It hadn't ended with much success back then (he remembered making enemies with the paper scooper) and he wasn't finding much success now either. Surprisingly, Shinjiro was a master at this for he had managed to scoop four goldfish without tearing his paper scooper; his efforts inspiring everyone else and several onlookers to try with enhanced enthusiasm. Needless to say, the variation in performance of the other S.E.E.S. members was like the variation one would find when looking at university entrance exam scores. Some did better than expected while others flunked. Minato was glad he wasn't alone in blaming the paper scoopers for the atrocious experience; Junpei, Yukari, Fuuka, and Mitsuru were all annoyed at the lifespan of theirs. Even Aigis was suspicious of this but before she made herself the suspect by commenting whether or not these goldfish were edible, Mitsuru quickly intervened and took her away, saying she would meet back with them when the fireworks started.

Since there was little point in continuing, Junpei, Yukari and Fuuka also called it quits and made for the mask stall they were standing by earlier. As they left, Junpei mouthed "Good luck man". Minato inclined his head at the gesture and watched them go. Once they disappeared into the crowd, he turned back to find Shinjiro passing a bag containing the four goldfish he had caught to a beaming Ken, and Koromaru nuzzling Akihiko's shin. The boxer was one goldfish short of matching Shinjiro's score and was staring at his childhood friend with burning rivalry.

"So, what's next kiddo?" Shinjiro asked, avoiding Akihiko's look.

"I'm actually a bit hungry," Ken replied. "But I also want to see more things."

Shinjiro nodded and finally met Akihiko's eyes. He sighed. "Fine Aki, you pick the next thing we do. Take the kid and Koromaru with you. I'll grab the food."

"Just don't eat too much," Akihiko said, grinning. "I'm still challenging you."

"Whatever. C'mon Arisato, let's go."

Minato followed Shinjiro into the crowd as the latter led him to what was most likely that yakitori stall near the shrine entrance. The number of people had more than doubled, their voices dominating the plucks of the koto that had been drifting in the air, and the pace at which they moved through the crowd was as fast as moving along a queue for a roller coaster ride at Disneyland.

"This is exactly why I don't go to festivals," Shinjiro said once they emerged from the sea of people.

"I can agree with you on that," Minato said. "Don't let Ken know though."

Shinjiro shrugged and they resumed walking. "By the way, there's something I wanted to clarify."

"About?"

"The previous Shadow operation."

Minato stopped walking and turned to face Shinjiro. "Is this why you've been observing me?"

"I guess you could say that. The thing is, it's something I'd rather keep between the two of us. I don't need Aki, Mitsuru or anyone else knowing about this. And I don't want you to tell them either."

"Alright. So what's the deal?"

Shinjiro motioned to keep walking. "Well, as you were giving out your report at the debriefing, I felt that you were leaving out something. Is that true?"

_So he did know. _"…Yes."

"What was it then?"

Minato proceeded to explain everything Takaya and Jin had told him. About how they had been test subjects for the Kirijo Group's artificial Persona experiments. About how they wanted to keep the Dark Hour around so that they wouldn't die. And about how they had openly expressed their desire to harm Mitsuru. Given Shinjiro was dead serious in keeping it confidential, Minato also included how he'd been worried for her over the past two weeks. When he finished, Shinjiro stiffened.

"So that's how it is huh?" Shinjiro muttered. "God damn assholes."

"Do you know them or something?" Minato asked.

"Let's just say that they're acquaintances of mine."

Minato felt his muscles tensing and he eyed Shinjiro. "They're not your allies are they?"

"No!"

A few bystanders turned in their direction but Shinjiro ignored them. "Sorry about that. But I'm not in league with them. We just do business with each other from time to time." He clenched his fists. "And if they really said they would hurt Mitsuru, then they're not lying. They'll do whatever it takes to get their revenge."

Minato felt his stomach plunge, and the weights that had been lifted from speaking about this after bottling it up came back crashing down on his shoulders. He had known on some level that Takaya wasn't fooling around with such a bold statement but hearing it was true made him all the more frightened.

Shinjiro must have noticed his face paling for he then asked: "There's something between you two isn't there?"

"There might be," Minato said after a few moments. _Just how many people are going to know?_ "It's what I've been trying to figure out ever since the Shirakawa Boulevard operation."

"I thought as much. She's become much softer and more open than she used to be." He cleared his throat as he espied Akihiko, Ken and Koromaru in the distance. "I'll make sure to keep an eye out for _them_. I doubt that they'll turn up here but I'm not taking any chances. And neither should you. So go find her and keep her safe."

"You don't need me to give you a hand with the food?"

Shinjiro shook his head and smiled. "That was just a cover up." He then made a dismissive gesture, approached the yakitori stall and ordered.

Minato was about to begin his search when a thought struck him and he turned around, waited for Shinjiro to finish ordering, then spoke. "Shinjiro-senpai, if I can ask, why do you care so much? I mean, I know you walked out on S.E.E.S. and Akihiko-senpai told me you didn't really want to do anything with it anymore. So why do you care now?"

Shinjiro paid the stall attendant and looked at Minato. "I'm sure Aki's told you but in case he didn't, Mitsuru was the one who helped us get back on our feet after the orphanage we were living in burnt down. Had it not been for her, Aki and I would have been wandering from orphanage to orphanage for more than two years, instead of settling in at the dorm. You could say that I owe her a debt for that and for walking out on them." He paused as the stall attendant gave him the four chicken skewers and then walked to Minato. "Also, now that I'm back, Mitsuru is going to need a companion who can keep a cool head and isn't blinded by childhood rivalry half the time."

The image of a distraught Akihiko holding a bag of three goldfish came into Minato's head and he chuckled.

"Anyway," Shinjiro continued, "you should get going. Unless you want to see Aki and I stuff ourselves with takoyaki."

Minato nodded and agreeing to meet back when the fireworks started, he left to find Mitsuru.

* * *

He found her and Aigis standing by a shooting gallery stall.

The search itself didn't take very long. Knowing that Mitsuru would keep to areas that were less densely populated, there was no need to venture into the crowd. After all, when one accompanied Aigis and took her around, one had to ensure that the android blended in with society.

As he approached them, Minato felt his confidence swaying. Even though finally asking Mitsuru what she felt for him was what he wanted, it also left him terrified. What if she felt nothing? What if her feelings were that of a friend? The possibilities that existed were endless and while he admitted he didn't 'love' her, he was still smitten with her and didn't want the opportunity of a relationship to sail into the horizon, never to come back. He felt powerless that the decision rested with her but in the end, it was _her_ decision to make. If she didn't want to be with him, then he had to respect it.

Once he was within a few paces of them, Mitsuru turned to see him and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh I'm glad you're here," she said. "I need someone to back me up."

"What the matter?" Minato asked.

"Mitsuru-san would like to have that particular doll" Aigis said, pointing at a Japanese Kabuki Doll that stood on the highest shelf of the shooting gallery.

"I-I didn't say that Aigis!" Mitsuru said. "I just said it looked cute."

"I must disagree with you Mitsuru-san. I remember you clearly saying that you wanted it."

Mitsuru sighed. "Saying something looks cute doesn't mean I want it. Right Arisato?"

Minato looked from the small red doll to Mitsuru, whose eyes were telling a different story, and smiled. "Sure. But you do want it, don't you?"

Mitsuru opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and avoided his gaze. Despite the dim lighting, Minato noticed her blush, and nod ever so slightly that you couldn't tell if she was saying yes or just moving her head.

"C'mon Aigis, let's get that doll," he said.

"Affirmative Minato-san."

Before he could reach for the rifle, Aigis raised her arms and aimed her finger cannons at the doll.

"All I have to do is hit it yes?" she asked.

Minato's first instinct was to agree but upon realizing what Aigis intended to do, he quickly grabbed both of Aigis' arms and lowered them, shooting a reassuring glance at the confused stall attendant. "Yeah but hang on a minute. You'll be using this." He grabbed the rifle, pushed and pulled the lever, and passed it to her.

Aigis accepted the rifle and inspected it with little interest. She then took aim and fired. There was a pop as the rifle shot out the cork bullet, which flew and slammed into the back wall of the shelf. She lowered the rifle. "I missed. I neglected to consider the warped barrel and the quality of the cork. Minato-san, please do not forget this information."

"I won't," Minato said, offering another reassuring smile to the attendant. He pushed and pulled the lever of his rifle, and was about to aim when Mitsuru tapped him on the shoulder.

"Just to let you know, it's okay if you can't get it," she said. "I don't how much stress this might place on your arm but I don't want you to hurt yourself for no reason."

"Don't worry Mitsuru-senpai. It should be fine."

He raised the rifle and aimed it at the Japanese Kabuki Doll. It was much lighter than he'd expected and although that made it less strenuous on his bad arm, it did nothing to reduce the chance of skewing his accuracy. Adding in Aigis' analysis of the cork's presumably poor quality, the questionable barrel, and the possibility of a breeze snatching the cork away, Minato knew he would have to wait for the perfect moment to succeed. A moment where the breeze stopped and his rifle was directly aligned with the doll.

The breeze didn't want to stop however, and after half a minute, Minato felt the back of his left shoulder throbbing. Sweat began sliding down his cheek as he steadied the rifle and he bit his lip. The pain and stiffness was on its way and it was coming fast. But he wasn't ready yet. The breeze was still brushing his face and if he fired now, he wouldn't hit the doll.

But he had to fire soon for the pain was coming.

But the wind was still busy rippling his shirt.

But the pain was ready to light his shoulder aflame.

But the wind…

But the pain…

Minato squeezed the trigger. The pop of the rifle dragged him out of his conflicting thoughts and he watched as the cork curved in an arc and hit a box of Pocky that was directly below the doll on the middle shelf.

_Damn._

He considered asking if he could have another chance but the rule for this stall was that once you won a prize, you weren't allowed anymore tries. Minato had raised an eyebrow at that, to which the attendant just stated that there were many stalls like his around the shrine and he had to give everyone who visited a chance at winning something. It was a fair claim though Minato noticed that the display shelf was still full of prizes; the box of Pocky seeming to be the only prize won so far. Not wanting to make a scene, Minato took the box of Pocky and walked with Aigis and Mitsuru towards the edge of the shrine.

"Sorry we couldn't get the doll for you," he said, passing the Pocky to Mitsuru as they neared the playground area.

"I too apologise," Aigis added.

"It's okay," Mitsuru replied, placing the Pocky in her purse. She gave Minato a concerned look. "The more important question is, how's your shoulder?"

"Stiff but the pain is easing. I guess I should've listened to you."

"You should have. Honestly, you're like Akihiko sometimes."

The two of them laughed at this until Aigis broke them up with a question. "I do not understand," she said. "How is Minato-san like Akihiko-san? They are nothing like each other."

"They're both stubborn in their own way," Mitsuru said. "You'll come to understand it soon Aigis."

"I see. In that case, I will update my database to accommodate for everything I have learned today."

Minato's eyes widened as he realized what this meant.

"How long would that take Aigis?" he asked casually.

"Several minutes. Why do you ask Minato-san?"

"Well I'd like to speak with Mitsuru-senpai in private for a little while. And I'd prefer it if we weren't disturbed by anyone. Do you think you could keep a lookout for us?"

Aigis stared at him for a moment then nodded. "Certainly."

Minato beckoned Mitsuru to follow him and the two of them moved to sit down on a wooden bench that was hidden behind the jungle gym, and often occupied by a thin young man during the daytime. He briefly wondered why that man always chose to come here then dismissed the thought. He would find out some other time. Right now, his focus needed to be on Mitsuru and after glancing around to make sure Aigis was within sight but not in their way, he turned his attention to her.

"So what did you want to talk about?" she asked with a look that was half curious and half knowing.

Sensing she had some idea of what this talk would entail, Minato decided to jump straight into the heart of the matter. "I wanted to talk about us. Do you remember the time when we were in Yakushima and I wanted to ask you something in the hospital ward but couldn't because of the others?"

Mitsuru nodded and motioned for him to continue, a light blush on her cheeks as she recalled that tender moment.

"Well, what I wanted to ask you then and would like to ask you now is about the operation in Shirakawa Boulevard. I know it's something you want to forget but there's something I want an answer to."

"It's about when we were alone together in that room isn't it?" Mitsuru asked.

Minato was surprised at her discernment. "In a way. Of course, if you don't want to talk about it then I understand."

"No we should talk about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Because to be honest, I also have something I want answers to." She chuckled lightly. "I've actually been meaning to ask you but I wasn't sure if I should."

Minato's heart skipped a beat and he shifted in his seat. Could it be that what she wanted to know was what he wanted to know?

"After all," Mitsuru was saying, "our relationship has been so great so far that I didn't want to take the chance and ruin it. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I don't know. What if it didn't ruin it? What if it changed it for the better? We would be fools for not seizing the opportunity."

"I suppose we would. Alright then. Tell me what you want to say."

Minato took a deep breath. "So after we were ambushed, but before we found out about our…situation…I had a vision where I saw you in the bathroom, taking a shower. At first, I thought it was really you but then realized it couldn't be after you called me by my first name. You have never done that before and right away I knew that it was the Shadow playing with our minds. What confused me though were your feelings for me. They were so real and strong in that vision and when we regained consciousness, I noticed you acted very differently. Especially when we went into the bathroom so that you could treat my hand. I didn't want to say anything then since it wasn't the right time but over the weeks, I kept wondering if something similar happened to you. So what I want to know first is, did something happen?"

Mitsuru was silent for a while, her features tightening as she thought her answer through. Then she nodded slowly. "I went through the same thing. Except that it was you in the shower and it was your feelings for me that I felt." She looked away from him and directed her eyes to where Aigis was standing and the busy stalls beyond. "Funnily enough, I came to the same conclusion as you until the first day in Yakushima when you tried to ask me something in the medical ward. After that day, I was also confused as to whether or not your feelings were genuine."

She then returned her attention to him. "I suppose you want to know if those feelings I have for you are genuine correct?"

Minato nodded and Mitsuru remained silent for a moment again.

"I…don't think what you felt is reflective of the way I feel for you right now," she began. "I'm not saying I don't care for you but…um…" She trailed off and giggled nervously. "I'm not very good at this."

"You're doing fine," Minato said, taking her hand in his. "Take as long as you need."

She blushed at his touch and inhaled deeply. "Okay. Do you remember when I was tending to your hand in that hotel and I told you about a friend I used to have?"

"Yeah I remember that."

"Well, the way I feel about you now is the same way I felt about that friend ten years ago. That is to say, um, I liked him."

_Him? _"I see. If you don't mind me asking, what was he like?"

"He…He was the best friend I ever had back then. He was smart, caring, supportive and everything else that you would want in a close friend. I suppose Takeba would be able to phrase that better but I'm sure you understand what I mean."

Minato agreed, oblivious to Mitsuru's nervous gaze. While he was glad that he finally had the answer, he remained unsatisfied. He supposed that it was probably better this way though. Mitsuru's responsibilities were enormous and between her commitments to the Kirijo Group, Gekkoukan High, and S.E.E.S., there was little room for a serious relationship. And even if there was room, he would have to deal with her father and face the constant scrutiny of her admirers. The latter was definitely the larger threat because if word got out that he was dating Mitsuru, he would be in more danger than if he were to fight a full moon Shadow alone.

"So you two must have been close then," he said.

"We were very close. We did almost everything together and always helped each other out. The most important thing however, was that he stood up for me and gave me the confidence I needed."

"Do you still keep in touch with him?"

"I do," Mitsuru said a trifle too quickly. "We…um…drifted apart for a quite a while but reunited with each other just this year. As a matter of fact, I talk to him every day."

_She's close with him and talks to him every day? _ Minato began to wonder just who this person was. It certainly wasn't Akihiko as Mitsuru had met the boxer a little over two years ago. And it couldn't be Shinjiro either. _Is she seeing someone else? A boy from another private school?_

"It's not Junpei is it?" he asked.

Mitsuru laughed and shook her head, feeling the nerves that held her loosen up. "No. It's not Iori."

"Who is he then?"

Mitsuru gave him a look that he would never forget; one that represented happiness and hope, excitement and eagerness, guilt and liberation. And as she spoke the three magical words, Minato's view of her changed forever.

* * *

"He is you."

* * *

Time froze as those words entered his mind and expanded as fast as the universe did when it came into existence. It swallowed his thoughts, reverberated in his head, and blocked out the sounds of the festival. He gazed into Mitsuru's eyes, searching for a sign that she was joking, evidence that this wasn't some way to make him feel better about her answer. But he couldn't find it. Her red eyes displayed only sincerity.

"I promise you I'm telling the truth," Mitsuru said. "We've met before when we were children."

Minato remained speechless, confounded by what she was saying. They had met before when they were children? How was that possible? And how could he not remember? Surely if he had met and became best friends with someone as striking as Mitsuru before, he would have held the memories close to his heart.

"Why don't I remember this?" he managed to ask.

"You lost your memories on the night your parents died. I'm not sure how but you did. It's actually a question that I've wanted an answer to for a very long time." She paused and gently squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry. I…I was very reluctant in telling you because if I did, I don't think we would have what we have right now. I would have scared you away and lost my only chance of seeing you again."

Minato squeezed back and shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that. To tell you the truth, you made an impression on me the night I arrived at the dorm and the days following that. And ever since, all I've wanted was to get to know you."

"R-Really?"

"Absolutely. To hear that we've been friends before just makes me even more curious about you. About us. About our past."

Mitsuru smiled at this but before she could reply, Aigis called out to them, saying that everyone was waiting. Minato and Mitsuru exchanged a look, then reluctantly stood up and walked to where the others had gathered. Being interrupted was something he didn't want though Minato let the small wave of annoyance pass. What he had learned in the last ten minutes was more unbelievable than learning of a hidden hour after midnight and he needed time to process it.

"There you guys are," Yukari said. She and Fuuka were both holding candy apples, and it appeared that they had gone on some sort of confectionary shopping spree; both of their purses were fully packed with it. "We almost thought we couldn't find you two until we saw Aigis standing by herself. What've you been up to?"

"Not as much you," Minato said, gesturing at her purse. "Are you stocking up for Halloween or something?"

"That's exactly what I said!" Junpei exclaimed.

"Um not really," Fuuka said. "You said that if we ate too much sugar, Yukari and I would put on weight."

"Hey, I was just trying to make sure you girls keep your figures."

Minato groaned. Shinjiro placed a hand to his face and Akihiko shook his head. Fuuka sighed while Yukari and Mitsuru gave Junpei a cold stare.

"I don't think you're supposed to say things like that aloud Junpei-san," Ken said, breaking the silence.

"Kiddo's right," Shinjiro added. "You gotta stop being so insensitive man. Have a little empathy for once."

Koromaru barked in agreement.

"Koromaru-san says Junpei-san should stop being so silly," Aigis translated, much to everyone's amusement and Junpei's melancholy.

"That was uncalled for Koromaru," Junpei said. "But whatever. The fireworks are starting soon and I sure as hell don't wanna miss 'em."

"Well at least _that's _something we can agree on," Yukari said. "It's too bad that the best views are already taken though."

Everyone turned in the direction she pointed and saw a large mass of people gathering by the wooden safety railing near the steps leading up to Naganaki Shrine. The crowd was thick and if they were to stand there to watch the fireworks, it would be rather unpleasant. Tolerable, but unpleasant.

"Actually, that's not the best view," Ken said.

"It isn't?" Akihiko asked.

"Nope. But I know a good spot not far from here that we can go to. Come on, follow me."

Ken led them through the emptying street of stalls, turned right once they reached the shrine, and continued forward. After they passed the shrine, the boy then turned left into the trees. As Minato approached, he saw that there was a nature trail that would have been impossible to locate in the dark without the glow of the lanterns. The trail snaked its way upwards and fortunately, the ground was level enough for the girls (who were wearing geta to match their yukatas) to walk on safely. Once they reached the end of the trail, they arrived at a secluded clifftop overlooking the whole of Naganaki Shrine, the city of Iwatodai and even the distant lights of Port Island.

"Wow, this is gorgeous," Fuuka said, taking in the spectacular view. "How did you come by such a spot?"

"Well it was my mother who found it," Ken answered. "It was our secret spot and she brought me here every year to watch the fireworks. Tonight is actually the first time I've come back since she died."

There was a momentary silence; the only sounds in the wind were that of the people below and the rustling of the trees.

"If this place means so much to you, are you okay with bringing us here?" Yukari asked.

Ken nodded. "Even though I haven't known you guys for that long, I feel like we're family. I thought I wouldn't be able to find that ever again that after my mother died but now, with you guys, I think I have. So I just want to say thanks to all of you. For taking me in and being with me."

At that moment, the first missile launched into the night sky exploded in a burst of neon colors. It was followed by two more missiles. Three. And then an entire volley. The sky crackled and sparkled with dots and streaks of green, red, purple, gold and orange that illuminated the ground below. Minato watched in amazement at the vast repertoire of effects and felt his heartbeat quicken as a soft hand clasped his.

"You know, I've seen fireworks before but I have to say, these are so beautiful," Mitsuru said in a voice loud enough for her to be heard. "It reminds me of the time when we watched them together as kids."

"We did that?" Minato asked, surprised.

"We did. It was at this very same shrine too." She looked at him endearingly. "If only you remembered."

Minato pursed his lips as an idea struck him. "Well maybe you can help me with that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I was thinking we could go out sometime. Just the two of us. Of course, that's if you're free. I know how busy you are."

Mitsuru took several moments to think it through; the display of fireworks continuing to bang and crack in the sky. "I suppose I could try to adjust my schedule on Tuesday…Thursday…and Saturday. I'll have to figure it out but it'll be on one of those three days."

"Great," Minato said, flashing a smile. "It's a date then."

"Yes. Yes it is."

She leaned closer and rested her head on his shoulder. Minato wasn't sure if the others were staring at them but it didn't matter anymore. Fate had brought them together once and it had done so again. This time however, Minato vowed to ensure history wouldn't repeat itself. That no matter what happened between now to the death of the twelfth Shadow and beyond, they would still be together.

Because when fate gave you a second chance, it was the last chance you would receive.


	30. Outing

**A/N: Hey all. I know it's been a really long time since I've last updated but I'm here to remind you that I haven't abandoned or given up the fic yet. Between finishing college for the year and a couple of other things, I haven't been able to spend as much time as I would've liked to complete this chapter. Also, after considering a very detailed review that pointed out and suggested several directions for the plot and character interactions****, I've had to completely restructure the way I wanted to approach the Fall/Autumn arc and planning which way I wanted to go took up quite some time. So if you've been badly waiting for something new since the last chapter, I thank you enormously for your patience and apologize for the long delay. **

**Like the previous chapter, this is also a pretty delicate one since it involves more interactions between the main couple. I've actually decided to bring Minato and Mitsuru's date forward and done this for several reasons; the main one being simply because it's the right time. Or at least I think so anyway. Once the final Shadow fights draw closer and more complications arise, it's going to be harder to justify a reason for them to hang out. That's not to say there won't be moments in the future (there will be) but for the path that I want their relationship to take, getting through most of the first date material will be necessary. Regarding the material itself, I ****would like to give you a heads up that I've created an OC specifically for this chapter. **

**As it's the last chapter for 2015, I'd like to thank everyone who's been following the story and special thanks to those who have left reviews. I hope you're all still around and eager for more. For those who aren't and have stopped following, I'd like to thank you for checking out this fic and maybe giving it a follow or favorite. **

**So enjoy the update, have a good end-of-year break, and see you in 2016.**

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Junpei left Gekkoukan High and reached Port Island Station. While there was little to do at school after the final lesson, he hung around for the next hour and a half anyway. There was no reason to return to the dorm – Yukari was at archery practice so there would be no arguments, Kenji was busy asking Kanou-sensei questions regarding the week's Economics homework (that was utter rubbish as far as Junpei was concerned) and Minato was…

Well he was somewhere.

And Junpei knew that if he stopped by the game arcade in Paulownia Mall, he'd lose sight of what time it was. So instead, he took his time walking around the school, making small talk with classmates and admiring the autumn foliage.

The effect of the changing season hadn't turned the cherry blossom trees along the walkway to Gekkoukan High into deep shades of red just yet, but they were beginning to blush. And strolling through the walkway brought a certain sensation that Junpei never understood when he was a little boy watching couples and families stroll through routes dense with leaves dipped in vivid hues of orange, gold and crimson. It was a serene feeling, the kind where all your worries were washed away. He wondered if he could bring along the 'white bird' with him some day and enjoy a stroll like this when he spotted her sitting in the exact same place as she had before, drawing in her sketchbook.

"Hey, mind if I sit next to ya?" he asked, smiling as he approached.

The girl in the gothic white dress looked at him and nodded. For a moment, Junpei swore she had brightened at seeing him but decided he was imagining it. Just like how he imagined himself walking with her, hand in hand, in a park filled with cherry blossoms.

"So how's your hand?"

The girl held her right hand out and to his surprise, the cut had healed. In fact, there wasn't even a scar.

"How the heck did it…" he said, unbelieving of what he was seeing. "I mean, did it heal that quickly?"

The girl shrugged and resumed drawing. "Say Junpei, do you do anything that makes you feel alive?"

"Makes me feel alive? You mean like something that I really enjoy doing?"

"Not exactly. It's more of something that gives you a purpose."

Junpei thought hard. Was there anything that gave him a purpose in life? Apart from his newly found goal of establishing a relationship with this girl? He supposed there was always the story of the Dark Hour and fighting Shadows and how that renewed his motivation but, that was in the past. With the end in sights, he was content with playing his part for the team and not trying to butt heads with Minato over the role of field leader.

_Still, it's the best thing that's happened to me and it did give me a purpose. But I can't tell her about all that crazy crap. She won't believe me. She'll think I'm an idiot and this whole thing is gonna be over._

"I don't really know," Junpei said. "I never thought about it too much before. But is that why you draw?"

"Maybe," the girl said. "I'm scribbling most of the time though and even I don't understand what I'm drawing sometimes."

The girl closed her sketchbook before Junpei could get a closer look at her 'scribbles'. Although her face was void of expression (she'd make for a tough opponent in a poker game), Junpei knew she was disappointed that he didn't have an answer.

_Screw it. I like this girl and I want to make this work._

"Well I guess there's one thing that makes me feel like I'm really livin', he said. "It's when I get to play hero."

The girl raised an eyebrow. She didn't say a word and Junpei was confused as to whether she wanted to him to stop or keep going. Deciding it was the latter, he stood up and in his best attempt, mimicked the voice that would commonly be heard at the start of a Phoenix Ranger Featherman R episode.

"In the hidden and darkest hour of the night, unknown to all but a few, the chosen ones stand and fight back against the forces of evil! Among them is the legendary warrior, Iori Junpei, who fights to protect the world from these monsters!"

He chucked as he heard the words aloud and sat back down. "Well that's the general idea anyways." He looked at the girl and found that her expression hadn't changed. "Err, you're supposed to laugh."

"So, you and your friends fight alone?" she asked.

Junpei hesitated. Not only had she received his idiocy so warmly (see Yuka-tan, there are some people who can stand stupid skits!), she was also interested in what he had to say. _Crap! What the hell do I do now? I can't tell her that we actually do what we do can I? _"H-Hey, you know I was just jokin' right?"

But the girl didn't hear him.

"Interesting," she said. "You fight during a time that only you and your friends know about. Which means all your good deeds will go unnoticed and you won't be celebrated for protecting the world. I'm impressed. I never thought you'd be that kind of guy."

Junpei was stunned. He pinched his arm to make sure he wasn't dreaming. _Ouch. Okay, I'm definitely awake. And she definitely believes what I'm saying. Oh man, can it get any better? _

The girl moved closer and gazed at him the way a little girl would when her parents prepared to read her a storybook she hadn't heard before. "Tell me more."

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Alright. But you can't tell anyone or they'll think I'm crazy."

And he proceeded to tell the story he'd been told himself five months ago on a fine spring evening. The story that took his life, shook it like a bartender shaking a cocktail, and served him in front of a host of hungry Shadows with nothing but a katana and a fake gun for protection. Oh and don't forget to add in the side effect of some completely normal monster materializing when you placed said gun to the side of your head and pulled the trigger.

"That sounds pretty fun," the girl said when he finished. "What's your role in the team? You must be pretty strong right?"

Junpei hesitated again. He wanted to be honest with her but it was his one chance at being able to call himself 'leader'. To be able to say that he was better than Minato at something.

Even if it was a lie.

"Well as one of the strongest in our team," Junpei said, "I took charge. It's pretty tough being a leader but someone's got to. I mean, if it weren't for me, things would just fall apart."

"I see," the girl said, her lips almost curling into a smile. She closed her sketchbook as soon as she felt the smile coming so that Junpei's attention was diverted. "Thank you for sharing that with me Junpei. I had a lot of fun listening to you."

"Y-You did?"

"I did. I have to go now but I'll be back here tomorrow. So if you're free, come and drop by. I'd like to hear more of your stories."

Junpei grinned. "Sure thing…Uh…"

"Chidori," the girl said, standing up.

"Huh?"

"That's my name. Anyway, I'll be seeing you."

She once again walked away and Junpei watched her. _Chidori eh? What a pretty name. But man I'm stoked. This is actually happening! I told her about all that crap and she didn't call me an idiot! Maybe I really do have a chance._ The level of joy Junpei felt made him recall the first time he created that imaginary place in his mind where his father was completely sober. It was a place he'd constructed initially to escape his father's drunkenness but over the years, he'd added more and more things to the point where it was the happiest place on earth (go suck it Disneyland!). Knowing that he could confide in Chidori and not have her burst into some episode of how much of an idiot he was elevated his spirits and gave him hope that he could achieve anything and everything his father didn't.

_Well maybe that's going a bit too far. At least I'm one step closer to where _he _is at._

As he stood up to leave himself, he saw Yukari and Mitsuru walking through the station. They were both carrying shopping bags and the former was talking animatedly. Curious as to what they had been up to and why Yukari wasn't at archery practice, Junpei called out to them. The two girls looked at each other for a moment – probably deciding whether it was a good idea to talk – shrugged, and then approached him.

"I thought you were at archery practice Yuka-tan," Junpei said.

"I was until the track and field team kicked us off the oval," Yukari said. "After their poor performance at the regional competition, they're going all out in training so that they'll do better next time. But it's no big deal. At least it gave me time to help out Mitsuru-senpai for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What's happenin' tomorrow?"

Junpei looked from Yukari to Mitsuru and then peered at their shopping bags. Inside were clothes and from the brand names on the bags, they were expensive ones too. "Does she have a fashion show to do or somethin'?"

Yukari turned to Mitsuru, resisting the urge to bring up Junpei's stupidity. "See, there's nothing to be worried about."

"I-I guess not," Mitsuru said.

"You know I'm just messin' with ya right?" Junpei said. "I know Minato asked you out senpai. Heck, I even told him to do so."

"No you didn't," Yukari said. "Minato did that by himself."

"He did. But I encouraged him."

"Whatever." Turning to Mitsuru, she said, "Either way, I'm sure he'll love the look we created today senpai."

Mitsuru blushed and avoided Junpei's grin. "I thought that was something that would remain between us."

"Oh, c'mon there's nothing to be embarrassed about," Yukari said. "You should be proud of being able to pull off something so different."

"There's a look?" Junpei asked, still grinning.

"Yes there's a look and no it's not for you. What are you hanging around here for anyway?"

"Yes Iori. Exactly what are you doing here?" Mitsuru asked.

Facing the inquisitive gazes of the two most popular (and attractive) girls in the school would have made any ordinary male student frightened. For Junpei, it was just the usual routine of the day.

"I was uh…meeting a friend," he said casually. "She already left."

Yukari raised an eyebrow. "She?"

"What? You guys, Fuuka, and Ai-chan aren't the only girls I know, ya know," he said.

Yukari and Mitsuru exchanged glances again and agreed to give him the benefit of the doubt. After advising him that he shouldn't stay out too late as there might be another excursion to Tartarus tonight, they left for the train platform.

Watching them go, Junpei felt a twinge of envy. He wasn't sure why the feeling arose all of a sudden. He'd already made up with Minato back at Yakushima so there was no reason to feel this way. _Maybe it's what Yuka-tan said about how Mitsuru-senpai can pull off a look so different. _Junpei wasn't one to argue with that statement as he'd seen firsthand just how true it was. Whether it was in a skin tight biker suit, a two piece swimsuit, or traditional cultural attire, Mitsuru could always find a way to make it work. Not only that, she even had Yukari helping her out in dress up as well as all the other things that remained a mystery to men.

Junpei clenched his fists tightly, his fingers biting into the skin of his palm. There was no reason to feel jealous. Minato was just one step ahead as usual. And while he had a girl whose features rivaled and on some occasions outperformed that of professional models, Junpei himself had a girl that was beautiful in her own way. A girl he could speak to and not feel bad about being an idiot. As he headed to the game arcade in Paulownia Mall, Junpei vowed that someday, he would be in the same place with Chidori as Minato was with Mitsuru.

* * *

The bustling noise of Saturday evening traffic along the streets of Iwatodai was muted when Minato put on his headphones. It had been a while since he turned the volume up to the point a passerby would catch some of the raging beats and doing so was refreshing. He wasn't sure if it was enough to make him blend in with the surroundings but he doubted that anyone would approach him or look at him twice. Why would they? He was just another music aficionado walking the streets with his headphones blaring. Nobody would think he was heading towards a designated area where he would meet Mitsuru.

Nobody, except for the members of S.E.E.S. of course.

Keeping the relationship a secret from them was impossible. He'd already told Junpei and Shinjiro of it and he was sure Mitsuru would have revealed something to Akihiko or Yukari by now. Even if she hadn't, Minato knew everyone had seen him and Mitsuru holding hands during the fireworks display and that was as badly camouflaged as an assassin who thinks himself incognito despite the fact that he is the only one in the crowd wearing a hood. However, none of them had objected to this relationship. In fact, they were all supportive of he and Mitsuru going out like this, that it was about time they tried to be something more than friends.

Minato supposed it was about time as well but what interested him more was his past with Mitsuru. How did they meet? What did they do together? Why did they drift apart? In the days following the summer festival, these questions were the sole focus of his thoughts and he hoped that by the end of tonight, he would have some answers. A part of him remained annoyed at Mitsuru for keeping this hidden so long though he knew it was the best decision she could make. After all, what would he make of a girl claiming to be his childhood friend as soon as he entered the dorm? Yes he had said that it would have piqued his interest in her even more but despite the impression she had made and despite how deeply smitten he was with her, he would have still remained cautious.

_It can't be helped. Being reserved is who she is. I can't change that nor would I want to change that. _

Rounding a corner and walking into Iwatodai Strip Mall, Minato let the beats consume his thoughts and scanned the people in the area. Other than the few groups of businessmen scurrying about, the small queue at the takoyaki stall – appropriately named 'Octopia' – and the young adolescents hanging around the escalators leading up to the train platform, there did not appear to be anyone that attended Gekkoukan High and adored Mitsuru like the way a puppy would its owner. Nor were there anyone Minato knew who despised him. He ascended the spiraling staircase to an upper level with more restaurants and boutiques, walked to the guard rail, leaned on it and double checked.

_Nope. Nobody's around. Unless they're all eating inside._

Minato sighed. He had an idea of what going out with Mitsuru would be like but for every positive he could think of, there were an equal amount of offsetting negatives. The fact that he had an in with her (living at the same dorm contributed to this unfortunately) made it difficult to just enjoy spending time with her. Even for this outing, they had to leave the dorm separately and meet in front of Hagakure Ramen. While it would aid in preventing any lurking Gekkoukan gossipers from knowing about the relationship, it was still annoying that he couldn't even have a pleasant walk with her. He chuckled. The situation mimicked that of famous celebrities who were always subject to the paparazzi and public scrutiny. She was the Oscar-winning actress admired by all and he was 'that random guy' who happened to take the dreams of the dreamers and turn it into a reality. The link couldn't be any clearer and Minato found it so dreadfully amusing that he almost didn't feel someone tap his shoulder.

Minato switched off his MP3 player, hung his headphones around his neck, turned to see Mitsuru, and refrained from gaping as he met her gaze. "Wow. You look incredible."

"D-Do you think it's inconspicuous enough?"

Minato eyed her from head to toe. She looked exceptionally different than what he was used to seeing but this time, it wasn't her simple attire of a short blue-sleeved blouse and slim white pants that made her stand out.

It was her hair.

Instead of letting it down, she had tied it up into a long ponytail. It was a pleasant surprise to see yet another look though Minato knew this particular one was the work of someone else. Because apart from dressing in a yukata, Mitsuru never changed her hairstyle.

"Definitely," he answered, nodding. "Let me guess, this is Yukari's handiwork isn't it?"

"It is," Mitsuru said, adjusting her ponytail so that it all flowed down her right shoulder. "How could you tell?"

"Well, only she would be able to convince you to do your hair like that. But it looks great. The athletic look suits you."

Mitsuru's expression altered slightly and she looked out at the street below.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No, it's just I remember you saying something similar when we were taking up kendo as children," she said, returning her attention to him.

"Really? I said something like that?"

Mitsuru nodded. "Something along the lines of how athletic I looked with a sword in hand. Listen, I know you have many questions but instead of asking me one by one, how about I just tell you our story? Would that be better?"

Minato considered her proposal. While he did want to ask the questions that were pricking his brain, he knew understanding everything would be easier this way. Besides, there was always time for questions later. "Sure. So, where would you like to go? Akihiko-senpai mentioned that you have an interest in the food around here but never got around to trying them out."

"Akihiko said that did he?" She chuckled. "Well he's not wrong. I've passed through here so many times over the years and have yet to walk into any of these restaurants."

"Not even with Akihiko or Shinjiro-senpai?"

"Not even with them. It's actually quite embarrassing." She looked over Minato's shoulder at the entrance to Hagakure and sighed. "Then again, they would always go _there_ and rarely anywhere else. Tell me, is ramen really special?"

Minato grinned. "How about we go there and find out?"

Before Mitsuru could object, Minato took her hand and led her inside Hagakure. Slurping sounds and the aroma of pork broth greeted them as they entered the dimly lit restaurant. For a Saturday evening, the number of patrons was surprisingly low and Minato counted himself lucky that there were still several empty tables. He knew how busy Hagakure could become and if Shinjiro's anecdote was to be believed, then today was one of the rare occasions where the usual queue was absent.

"So this is what it's like inside," Mitsuru commented, surveying the restaurant as if it was another floor in Tartarus. "I had some sort of notion from the few peeks I had whenever Akihiko or Shinjiro came out but, never would I have thought it'd look like this." She frowned. "Or sound like this."

"There's a reason for all the slurping," Minato said. "C'mon, let's grab a seat."

He led her to one of the tables for two at the back of the restaurant and they sat down. He had contemplated sitting by the counter since it would have made for a deeper eating experience but decided against it. Those seats offered little to no privacy and were primarily for those who had to eat and leave within a few minutes. Sitting there would have been a rude gesture to all the patrons that would come later. And even if they didn't come, it wouldn't be possible to hear Mitsuru over all the slurping and calling out of orders.

Glancing at Mitsuru, he noticed she had taken the laminated menu off its stand and was studying it.

"Anything there that interests you?" he asked.

"I'm not too sure. They all seem to be equally appetizing." She looked at him, her red eyes searching his grey eyes for guidance. "What do you recommend?"

Minato shifted his gaze onto the menu momentarily and then returned his attention to her. "I'd say the house special. It's their most famous one. Not to mention the fact that Shinjiro-senpai's offered to cook all of us dinner if we can figure out that missing ingredient."

Mitsuru smiled. "Well I would like to see just how good a chef he is. Okay then. Let's order that."

Minato nodded and stood up. Before he could make it the counter however, a group of eight businessmen darted into the restaurant, sat by the counter and started placing their orders. Minato couldn't believe his timing was so impeccable but shook off his annoyance. It was customary to serve those sitting by the counter first and as eager as he was to hear Mitsuru tell her tale, he knew there would be plenty of time. _Maybe it'll take the chef a little longer to cook and give us more time to talk. _He kept that thought in the front of his mind and once it was his turn to place the order, the chef told him exactly that.

"My apologies sir but you'll have to wait until the next batch of soup is ready," the chef said. "It might be another...fifteen minutes before we can have your order done. Is that okay?"

Minato told him it was, returned to his seat and relayed the information to Mitsuru.

"Fifteen minutes?" she said. "Does it normally take that long to get the soup ready?"

"I guess so. I've never had to wait that long before though."

"Intriguing. You know, I would have thought this place would be more orderly like a proper restaurant and you'd be served by a waiter instead of having to queue at the counter. I mean, I understand queuing is the custom for fast food restaurants but not…" She gasped as she realized what she was saying aloud. "Ugh, listen to me ramble about my ignorance of the world. I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"Don't worry about it. It takes a couple of visits to fully grasp how this place works."

Mitsuru forced a smile. "Anyway, I suppose I should get started telling you everything I know about us."

"From the beginning?"

"From when we first met, yes. Are you ready?"

Minato straightened in his seat and prepared himself mentally for what he was about to hear. "I'm ready."

Mitsuru nodded, fixed her gaze onto him, and began to speak.

* * *

_The hallway was bustling with students. School had just finished and for most kids, it was the time of day they couldn't wait for. The young girl with red hair however, thought otherwise. She was one of the very few, if not the only student who dreaded the end of school and it wasn't because she loved school or devoted herself to it. No, for Kirijo Mitsuru, going home was the worst part of her day because it was when she had to walk through the main hallway full of students and their parents, out the school doors and towards the black limousine parked by the entrance. It was when her peers saw how different she was to them. When they saw her for what she truly was. And her peers, well, they didn't like what they saw at all. Instead of seeing her as another student, they saw her as a spoiled, rich little girl whose family could hire chauffeurs to come pick her up in expensive limousines. _

_ Now normally, this would not have been a problem. Every elementary school had a percentage of their student body consist of kids from wealthy backgrounds after all and disparity was commonplace. But this particular school Mitsuru went to wasn't a private one. It was public and it was home to a diverse range of children from different social statures. Rich kids, kids from the average middle class families, kids from broken families. Promising kids who had potential to go far and kids who were destined to work in average or low paying jobs. The school had them all, except the proportion was skewed against her. There was nobody like Mitsuru in the school and when there was, they didn't stay for long._

_Mitsuru didn't understand why her father had agreed with her grandfather to continue her enrollment at a school where she was branded as the 'outcast'. Oh she had gone to both of them and told them of how she felt alienated but they had simply brushed it off as if it were another day in the business world._

"_The world is full of shit," her grandfather had said once during dinner on a stormy evening. "It'll do everything it can to bring you down and as the future Chairwoman of the Kirijo Group, you must be able to live in the face of adversity all the time. As a _girl_," he shook his empty sake cup to emphasize 'girl' even further, "it is even more important that you understand this."_

"_Don't you think you're being a bit harsh on her?" Takeharu asked, watching his father pour himself yet another cup of sake._

_ Kouetsu drained his cup and slammed it onto the table. "I speak nothing but the truth! I treated you exactly the same way and look! You're fit to run the Kirijo Group once I retire. You know of the bullshit that the world throws at you and you know how to deal with it. If Mitsuru is to have any success in the future, she must be able to cope with difficulty now!" _

_ The two continued to argue but by the time Takeharu turned to look at Mitsuru, she was already long gone. They both later found her in her room, sobbing into Kikuno's arms. The maid turned to look at them with a disappointed look and shook her head as she stroked Mitsuru's hair. Takeharu felt awful. Kouetsu on the other hand, just scoffed._

"_Bah! I stand by my words and that's not going to change," he said before staggering off to his office. _

_ After that incident, Mitsuru attempted to erase it from her memory by engrossing herself in learning as many things that interested her. The kendo lessons started. The French lessons started. She even had some exposure to Kirijo Group related matters, albeit it was limited to reading documents. All of this did nothing to alleviate the bullying and the scrutiny though. It just made it worse because the other kids soon envied her for what she could do. Those kids were limited to her class at first but after being announced at the school's weekly assembly that she had won first place in the junior division of a regional haiku competition, Mitsuru could feel the whole school rebelling against her. Luckily, the hate was short lived and it ended on one afternoon several days after the announcement. _

_ That afternoon was the one where her life at this particular elementary school came to a close._

_ It was the one she would never forget._

_ And it was the one that changed her life forever._

* * *

"Those days must have been really tough for you," Minato said, glancing at the counter to see how many of those businessmen were still waiting for their order.

"They really were," Mitsuru said. "But now that I think back on it, my grandfather had a point. Had I not followed at least some of his advice, I don't think I would be capable enough to fulfill the responsibilities required of a future Chairwoman." She sighed. "The business world is tough as it is already. The fact that I'm a girl doesn't make it any easier."

"Hey, you're doing the best you can. In the end, I'm sure that's all your father can ask for. Right?"

"I suppose. He still expects a lot from me though." She shook her head lightly and her ponytail fell back into its usual resting position. "Anyway, this is getting off topic. Let me get back to the story."

* * *

_The clock struck two-thirty in the afternoon and the bell chimed. That time of day had arrived again and while the other kids in the class rejoiced at the arrival of the magical hour, Mitsuru suppressed her resentment and robotically gathered her belongings. For her, it was another test to see whether she could endure the nightmare of exiting her classroom, walking through the hallway and out the school doors while being sharply eyed by kids who disliked her. Although there hadn't been any major issues this week (there actually hadn't been one in a while; the last incident was a couple of months ago where some kids had heard her speaking French and later mocked her accent) Mitsuru was eager to leave as soon as possible. She wasn't going to tempt fate into giving those bullies any chance to bully and with the weekend beginning tomorrow, she wanted to have as much time away from school as she could. _

_ Placing the final notebook in her black leather shoulder bag, she overheard the gossip of two nearby classmates that were standing by their desks. _

"_Oh did you hear about that new student in Class 1B?" one of the girls asked._

"_You mean the one with the _really_ blue hair?" the other girl replied._

"_Yeah that boy. I heard he's pretty weird. He keeps talking to almost everyone he sees."_

"_Does he want friends that badly?"_

"_I don't know but I thought I would just let you know in case he comes up to you."_

That's right_, Mitsuru thought. _There's a new transfer student. Well, it's not like he's going to make my time here any better. He'll probably end up joining everyone else and try to make life even harder. _With those thoughts in her mind, Mitsuru hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and left the classroom, mentally preparing for the nightmare that lay ahead._

* * *

_At the same time Mitsuru was packing her belongings, a young blue haired boy strolled through the school's hallways in search of the girl who had won the regional haiku competition. He had spent the whole of today's recess asking if anybody knew where she could be found and when that failed, he had committed to himself to find her before the day was over. There was no way he was going to survive the weekend without meeting the author of such a beautiful haiku and despite what every student he'd asked has said about her – that she looked down on others because she was smarter than everyone else and could do things that nobody else could, that she was a snobbish spoiled little brat who used her talents to sit at the top of the student body as a dictatorial empress – he remained determined to meet her. _

_So what if she was smarter and more talented than everyone else? Wasn't that something to be celebrated? The boy had only transferred into this school at the start of the week but from his experience at other schools, he knew that the smart and talented generally attracted students who wanted to be just like them, not those who wanted to pull them down or treat them as outcasts. So for this Kirijo Mitsuru to have been described as a snob by almost everyone he'd asked, the boy was suspicious. Was she really what the school deemed she was? Or was she the ugly duckling? It was easy to hide the truth under a blanket of lies and the boy wasn't one to follow the flock of sheep that went with the general consensus. Nor was it in his nature to seek out people to talk with. He promised himself that he would change that though. After losing Minako, it was his sole goal to see her wish was fulfilled and fulfilled it will be. _

_He just had to find Mitsuru._

_As he continued down the hallway, two students that were a year or two older than him emerged from the nearby classroom. The blue haired boy quickened his pace and intercepted them before they could leave._

"_What do you want?" the twin-tailed girl asked._

"_Yeah, we've got to get to cram school you know," her friend added._

"_I just want to know if you know where I can find that girl who won the regional haiku competition," the boy asked. "I'd like to speak with her."_

_ The twin-tailed girl scoffed. "Oh her. She probably left already in that _car_ of hers. Why do you want to talk with her anyway? She's such a stuck up know-it-all and…"_

And thinks she's better than everyone else and blah blah blah, _Minato thought as he immediately dashed off to the hallway that led to the entrance. _I've heard that enough times already. Now let's see if it's true.

* * *

_Mitsuru walked through the hallway._

_She expected to see a whole bunch of students and their unnerving stares the minute she left her classroom but instead, she came out to a fairly quiet hallway; the group of students that passed by were much older than her (they looked to be fifth or sixth graders) and had at least a sense of respect for the talented. Mitsuru wished that she had the ability to befriend them though she knew it would be futile. Those students wanted nothing to do with her because becoming friends with Mitsuru meant you were friends with the freak. And in a school where social status was the blood that ran in your veins, it was equivalent to intentionally pointing a gun to your foot and pulling the trigger. _

_But the wish was just a wish, and Mitsuru paid little heed to it. It was better to be alone. That way, she didn't have to worry about someone asking her what yesterday's homework was, or borrowing her stationery and forgetting to return it (it was actually better if she didn't see what happened to it). _

_Upon reaching the lobby where there were rows of shoe lockers, Mitsuru looked around and found that there was no student in the area that she recognized to be one of her harassers. She cast her eyes forward, beyond the school doors and saw several parents – mostly mothers – patiently waiting outside for their child to turn up or waiting in their cars. Besides them and the black limousine parked in one of the few loading zones, there was nobody outside that appeared ready to pounce on her like a jaguar pouncing on an unsuspecting prey. Mitsuru exhaled. This was good. She could write off another week to be–_

"_Well look who we have here," a mocking voice said from behind. "It's Miss know-it-all."_

_ The small smile that began to form on Mitsuru's lips faded instantly and her heart thumped faster._ Don't look behind you don't look behind you,_ Mitsuru thought. _Just get out of here now and run to the limousine. _Her brain had other ideas though and as if hypnotized, she turned around. _

_Standing smugly with her posse of friends was a girl known as Maya. She was a year older than Mitsuru, had curly blonde hair and had also participated in the junior division of the regional haiku competition. Instead of winning it like she had intended, she had placed second and being someone who thought herself above everybody else (at least in her grade and all the ones below it) the result didn't resonate with her at all. Her posse had a brainwashed look to them – a mix of boys and girls who believed that nobody except Maya was allowed to be pretty and smart at the same time. _

"_So where're you off to this time Miss Oh-I'm-So-Talented?" Maya asked, moving closer to Mitsuru. Her lackeys fanned out as she did so and formed a ring around Mitsuru, cutting off any chance of escape. "Gonna go have a tea party with all your friends? Oh wait! That's right, you have no friends! Sucks to be you!"_

_ Mitsuru thought it was pretty stupid to announce the obvious and met Maya's haughty gaze with the best poker face she could conjure. "Well if all the friends I make turn out to be just like you, I think I'd prefer to be left alone. But thanks for pointing that out."_

"_What do you mean _just _like me? Are you trying to make fun of me you little snob?"_

"_I think that's what she's trying to do," one of the boy lackeys said, causing the rest to murmur in agreement. They had never seen anyone talk back to Maya before and seeing that it came from Mitsuru of all people made them nervous of how their leader would react._

"_That's up for you to decide," Mitsuru said. "Now if you don't mind, I have to go." She turned around to leave but was blocked off by a trio of Maya's boy lackeys. _

"_Oh you're not going anywhere," Maya said. "What did you think you could insult me and just leave? _Me_, the smart and perfectly pretty–"_

"_Oh stop being so full of yourself," Mitsuru snapped, turning around to face her. She was growing tired of this exchange and wanted to be off. She had heard Maya advertise herself more times than she had walked through those school doors and if she were to hear it again… _

_ It was a mistake to interrupt with such boldness however and while Maya's lackeys gasped in horror, Maya herself was furious. Her hands were clenched. Her face was reddening. Her lips were raised in a snarl. It looked as if she would erupt like a volcano any second but she calmed herself down at the last minute. The smart and perfectly pretty Maya poked fun at people oh yes she did, but it was her victims who'd blow their top at her, not the other way around. _

"_Alright sheesh, calm down. You don't have to be so mean," Maya said. "Honestly, didn't your parents teach you any manners?"_

_Mitsuru couldn't believe at what a hypocrite this girl was being and was about to point it out when Maya continued to ramble. _

"_I guess not," Maya was saying, "cause if they did, they would have at least been able to send you to a private school. Like how stingy is that? You're rich and your parents can only afford to send you here. I mean, it's not like there's anything wrong with that but your dad must be _really_ stingy."_

_ That comment set off a bomb in Mitsuru's head and she stormed towards Maya with blazing anger. These bullies could insult her all they liked but she would not stand anybody who berated her father. Before she could get within striking distance though, she felt something grab the collar of her blouse and pulled her back._

_ It was one of the lackeys._

"_Let me go!" Mitsuru cried._

"_Nuh-uh," the lackey said, using his free hand to grab the strap of the shoulder bag, take it off Mitsuru, and toss it to the two girls standing beside Maya. "You're gonna get what you're gonna get."_

_ Mitsuru looked for any way she could escape the lackey's hold. She had considered elbowing the guy in the gut and thought after that, she could make a dash for the school doors. The plan was simple and she felt that she was quick enough to get there before they got her. She readied her arm to strike the lackey holding her collar then stopped. She didn't want to resort to violence. If she did, she'd be giving the green light for Maya to resort to violence as well and the whole fiasco would degenerate even further. Not only that, she would be just as low as Maya. _

It's my only option though_, she thought. _I have to_–_

_ Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard Maya chuckle._

"_Did you really think you could hurt me?" Maya said, walking until her face was inches away from Mitsuru's. "_Me,_ the smart and perfectly pretty Maya. Well you can't. And since I've got you like this, I think it's time you learnt exactly what happens to people who beat me." Maya brought her arm back, readying a slap or punch, and was about to swing when a shout startled her._

"_Hey! Leave her alone!"_

_ Mitsuru directed her eyes to the source of this new voice and saw a young boy with the bluest hair standing several paces away from them. He wasn't any much taller than Mitsuru herself and for a moment, Mitsuru was confused. Who was this boy?_

"_Who are you?" Maya said as she turned around to meet the boy's determined gaze and eyed him. "Oh wait, I know you. You're that new kid everyone's been talking about. The guy who can't shut up. Look, this is none of your business so why don't you just run along."_

"_Um yeah, I can't do that," the boy said. He pointed at Mitsuru. "I'd like to talk to _her_ you see." _

"_About what?_

"_Well…that's none of your business. So please get out of the way."_

_ Mitsuru couldn't believe what she was hearing. While she was relieved that perhaps she wouldn't face the wrath of Maya, she was concerned for this boy. Did he know what he was getting into? _Probably not since he hasn't been here long enough to know what Maya is capable of_, she thought. _

_ Maya smirked. "Boys, I think it's time we teach this runt a lesson." She clicked her fingers. "Get him."_

_ Like a pack of hunting dogs who'd follow their owner into the depths of hell and back, Maya's male lackeys charged towards the blue haired boy. Mitsuru felt the lackey holding her collar let go and join the others in the attack, and watched with grim anticipation. If her past dealings with Maya taught her anything, it was that anybody who stood up to her henchmen often came home with a bunch of bruises and broken accessories. That fact was so wired into her mind that Mitsuru jerked when there was a loud thud on the floor. She looked up and saw that the lackey who'd been holding her had fallen over. She blinked several times to ensure that she was seeing what her eyes displayed in front of her and gasped. _

_ The blue haired boy had somehow knocked down one of the lackeys and was in the process of doing the same to the other two. Mitsuru was stunned that the boy hadn't taken a hit yet and watched in pure amazement as he used his agility to trip the other two lackeys over. The scuffle, if it could even be called one, was over in a matter of seconds and once they were all down, Mitsuru looked to Maya, and saw a face in utter shock._

"_So, may I speak with her now?" the boy asked._

"_I-I'm telling on you!" Maya cried. She signaled for her two girl friends to get going and the three of them ran back down the hallway into the heart of the school._

_ Mitsuru watched Maya leave and then shifted her gaze to the boy, who had retrieved her shoulder bag and was now walking towards her. She still couldn't come to terms with the situation and as she studied him, she remembered the conversation she'd heard earlier between the two girls in her classroom. About how there was a new student in the school with blue hair who apparently spoke too much. Whether he did or not mattered not to Mitsuru though, because in her eyes, this boy was the only person to have helped her in a time of distress. This boy was…_

* * *

"Me," Minato said.

Mitsuru nodded and leaned back in her chair as the cook placed the two bowls of ramen on their table. Once the cook walked away, Mitsuru inspected the bowl of ramen in front of her; the appetizing aroma of the soup wafting into her face.

"This certainly looks interesting," Mitsuru said. "Arisato, what's the etiquette here? Is there anything I should do?"

It took Minato a moment to realize that the story was on pause and he fumbled for an answer. "Well according to Shinjiro-senpai, we've only got five minutes before the noodles become overcooked so eat the ramen quickly. Oh and don't be afraid to make a lot of noise."

Mitsuru widened her eyes. "Make a lot of noise? But that seems so…"

"Primitive?"

"Yes. Oh well, I suppose it can't be helped. I don't want the noodles to be overcooked after all."

Picking up her chopsticks, Mitsuru attempted to slurp the noodles. Minato saw that she was hesitant in doing so (probably out of pride and because she didn't want to embarrass herself) and decided a demonstration was necessary.

"Here, just follow me," he said. He picked up his own pair of chopsticks, grabbed the noodles, and slurped.

Mitsuru widened her eyes as she watched Minato, shocked that people could eat in such an uncivilized manner. But for the sake of not wanting to disappoint Minato (and the chef, who had cast a suspicious glance in their direction), she tried her best to imitate his demonstration. To Minato's surprise, she imitated him very well, although it was still amusing to him to see her eat like this.

"What are you smiling at?" Mitsuru asked before slurping some more noodles.

"Nothing. How's the ramen?"

"The taste is quite unique. I thought it tasted somewhat strange at first but there's a subtle charm to it. I don't think I'll be able to figure out the ingredient Aragaki is looking for though." She then gave Minato a cheeky smile. "By the way, shouldn't you be eating instead of watching me? Those five minutes have to be up soon."

Minato blinked, glanced at his ramen and hurriedly resumed eating. Already he could feel the noodles losing their al dente texture and he regretted wasting time in watching Mitsuru eat. _Eh, it was worth it_, he thought. _It's not likely we'll come back here anyways since she hasn't tried a lot of the things around this area._

Once they finished, they got up, paid at the counter and left Hagakure. Mitsuru had questioned why they had to leave so soon to which Minato told her that a ramen restaurant wasn't exactly the best place to linger once you finished your meal.

"I see," Mitsuru said as they walked down the staircase and onto the main strip of Iwatodai Mall. "It must be because of their fast turnover."

"Not exactly. It's more of a cultural thing," Minato said. He was still surprised that he had met Mitsuru by rescuing her from a group of bullies and badly wanted to know more. "So what happened after I sent off all those bullies?"

Mitsuru moved to sit on a nearby bench and gestured for Minato to do the same. "Well not long after that…"

* * *

_ Mitsuru looked at the boy who saved her. He wasn't exactly the brawniest of kids but if he'd been able to use his speed to his advantage, then she knew he either had some knowledge of self-defense or had dealt with bullies before. _

"_Are you okay Kirijo-san?" the boy asked, returning her shoulder bag._

"_I-I think so," Mitsuru said. "But wait, how do you know who I am?"_

"_I read your haiku. It's the best haiku I've ever read and I wanted to meet with you so that I could tell you that."_

_ Mitsuru didn't know what to say. This boy thought her haiku was great? And not just a display of talent that everyone else thought to be a demonstration of her superiority? _

"_You really think it's that great?" she asked._

"_Of course. I'm Arisato Minato by the way." He extended a hand in an offer to hoist her up._

_ Mitsuru reached for it but before she could take it, Maya reappeared with her friends and several teachers. At the same time, Mitsuru's chauffeur entered the school (he was probably wondering why it took so long to just leave) and for the remainder of the afternoon and the few days following, it was a flurry of pointing fingers, throwing blame and having to resort to talks with the parents of all parties involved. It all went by very quickly for Mitsuru though, because she could only think about Minato and how he rescued her and thought so highly of her haiku. She wanted to know more about him and what motivated him to come to her aid. Because as much as her haiku inspired him, it surely it had to be more than just that. Mitsuru hoped that she could continue to see him and her hopes came true on the final day of the interviews. _

"_Now you must understand that I'm faced with a dilemma," the headmaster said, his hands clasped on his desk. "I really don't want to expel your daughter from our school because of the reputation she has built up for us by winning such a big competition. On the other hand, I don't want to have parents gossiping about such a fight taking place in our school and involving Mitsuru."_

"_I see," Takeharu said. He glanced over to where Minato and his parents were. The blue haired boy had already been pulled out of the school but it was his parents who had cancelled his enrollment. The headmaster had neither approved nor condemned his behavior that fateful day as Minato had, in a sense, done the right thing by standing up for others. But Takeharu knew that without this boy, something worse could happen to Mitsuru if she remained here until middle school. The bullying would definitely continue and she would continue to feel like an outcast. "Well I'm sorry to say this but I think I'll also cancel her enrollment. The risk of Mitsuru being bullied again is too high."_

_ The principal nodded grimly and reached into his desk drawer. "I completely understand. Could you please sign these documents then?"_

_ Once they were done and outside of the principal's office, Takeharu told Mitsuru that she would no longer be attending this school and he would instead send her to a private one like he should have from the beginning. Mitsuru had brightened considerably at this but then fell silent as she realized she wouldn't be with Minato. _

"_He won't be going with me will he?" Mitsuru asked. _

"_No. But you want him with you don't you?" Takeharu replied._

_ Mitsuru nodded and in that moment Takeharu understood that what his daughter needed the most was a friend. Someone who was close to her own age and could look after her while she was at school. It was a role that only Minato could fulfill and he knew for his daughter's upbringing, she needed to start making friends now. With this in mind, Takeharu turned to face Minato and his parents. _

"_I would like to thank you again for your support during this time," he said. "I understand that this mustn't be easy for you."_

"_We've been through worse," Minato's father said with a shrug. "This isn't the first time that we've had to change schools because of Minato."_

"_Really?"_

_ Minato's mother nodded. "Now we're going to have to find another school in the area. Or perhaps even move again."_

_ That was Takeharu's cue and before either of Minato's parents could say more, he quickly interjected. "How would you like for your son to attend the same school as the one I will be sending Mitsuru to? As a token of my appreciation for what he has done for my daughter, I will waive all expenses."_

_ Both of Minato's parents were surprised at this and they looked at each other as if to ensure that they really heard what Takeharu said. Mitsuru gasped and ran towards Minato._

"_Can he?" Mitsuru asked her father._

"_Can I?" Minato asked his parents. _

"_I think it would be best if we speak with Kirijo-san first," Minato's mother said. She then gave Minato a wink and for him, that was as good as saying yes._

_ The discussion happened later that evening. Takeharu had taken them to one of Iwatodai's fine dining restaurants and talked about his offer; which school they would be attending, travelling arrangements and negotiating which expenses were to be waived. By the end of it, Takeharu felt that he had made the right decision in doing this and he noticed that the Arisatos were equally as satisfied. _

_ Before long, both Minato and Mitsuru were attending the same school and while they weren't in the same class, they always looked for each other during recess. He would ensure that she wouldn't be bullied anymore and she would bring him along to the various after school activities she had; kendo being the one they most enjoyed. The year went by with a minimal amount of trouble until the day of the Kirijo Group incident. That was when Mitsuru's world was flipped upside down and her heart began to freeze._

* * *

"And here we are ten years later," Mitsuru finished.

The sun had faded completely now and the amount of traffic along Iwatodai Strip Mall was picking up. Already you could see groups of young adults going about their business – queuing outside bars, karaoke clubs and classy restaurants. Nightlife in Iwatodai wasn't anywhere near the level of large cities such as Tokyo but it was enough to impress someone hailing from a rural town.

"Whoa," Minato said, trying to process all the information. "I never thought that you and I had been that close."

Mitsuru smiled. "You have my father to thank for that. As well as my demands."

"You know, I'm actually quite surprised your father would do something like that. When I met him in Yakushima, he didn't seem to be that kind of person at all. "

"He can be quite intimidating sometimes. But no matter how strict he comes across, he always means the best for me. And for you as well. There's a reason why he went out of his way to have your saber forged with Damascus steel."

Minato could do nothing except return her smile with one of his own. "So how did we get separated?"

"I'm not entirely sure on the details but something happened to you on the night your parents died," Mitsuru said, her expression darkening slightly. "Once you regained consciousness, you couldn't remember who I was, who my father was, and everything that we did together. Your personality also changed. You weren't as friendly as before and you showed little emotion. It was as if you had become a shadow of your former self. My father and I were told that it could have had something to do with experiencing the trauma of watching your parents die but he doubted that was the case. Either way, he decided that for my own safety, he had to send you away. I had a big fight with him about that but in the end, I knew he was right. You weren't mentally stable and he was afraid that you may do something that would end up harming both of us." She gave him a concerned look. "I suppose everything I've told you still doesn't ring a bell does it?"

"No," Minato said, shaking his head. "All I can recall is moving to Iwatodai without my sister, a couple of fragmented images of the accident and then everything that happened between starting a new life at another school to now. I do believe everything you've said though. It helps explain a couple of things, like why using a sword feels so natural to me." _Or why I care for you so much._ He cut that thought from his mind. _Don't say that! I know it's true but it's still just the first date. _"Does anyone else know about this?"

"Just Akihiko. Keeping it from him was unavoidable since he suspected something after the first night we brought you to Tartarus. He said the way you fought with a saber mirrored the way I fought and I had no choice but to tell him."

"So that's why he was more enthusiastic than usual when we went jogging that day."

Mitsuru nodded. "I'm impressed that he's managed to keep it to himself for this long. I would say he's finally maturing but then he goes and does irrational things with Aragaki." She sighed and stood up. "Anyway, let's look around some more. The ramen wasn't as filling as I thought it would be and suffice to say, I'm still interested in trying more street food."

They left the bench and a few minutes later, they were standing in front of Octopia, the takoyaki stall. Minato wasn't sure whether he was more shocked at the fact that Mitsuru hadn't tried ramen or takoyaki but regardless, he was glad that he could witness Mitsuru's first time in trying these delicacies.

"I will have one takoyaki please," Mitsuru said to the lady in charge of the stall.

"Err, you do know that takoyaki isn't sold individually right?" the lady said.

"What? So I can buy a dozen at this low price?"

"That's right."

Watching this exchange reminded Minato of taking Elizabeth out to Paulownia Mall and he briefly wondered what else Mitsuru wasn't familiar with. Eating at a sushi bar? An okonomiyaki stall? A teppanyaki restaurant? There were probably more (which meant more opportunities for future dates) though his thoughts stopped short when Mitsuru returned with a small plastic box filled with a dozen pieces of takoyaki.

"I'm surprised that they're able to survive as a business," she said. "Is it even profitable to sell these items at such a low price?"

"Well this store's pretty popular and they have a good turnover. Each time I walk past, there's always a small queue. You mean you've never noticed how busy it can get?"

"I guess not." She laughed lightly and led him over to an area filled with tables and chairs that were reserved for customers of the strip of food stalls. "Now I'm not sure whether to be more embarrassed about this or the ramen."

Minato waved his hand as they sat down. "There's always a first time for everything. Besides, I'm sure you're well versed when it comes to business functions and the like. Those can be a nightmare for people like…well people like Junpei. So don't feel too bad about yourself."

Mitsuru forced another smile. "The problem is that I'm too well versed. To be honest with you, I haven't had an opportunity to sample street food like this. It's always fancy dinners or cocktail parties with businessmen I don't even know or care much for."

"You know a lot of people can only dream of a life like that."

"I know. But they don't realize or understand the burdens associated with it. Underneath all the money and materials is a layer of politics that I can't stand. My father would probably tell me to live with it but there are times when I just wish I could get on my motorcycle and ride to some far-off destination without telling anyone." She paused and then quickly added, "It's just wishful thinking though. My modest attempt at rebelling against my restricted life."

Minato took a moment to think about what to say. He didn't expect Mitsuru to open up like this and while he could tell her everything would turn out fine and she would be alright, what would be the point? It was a lie and he knew that she knew it was.

"Maybe we should do it," he said.

"What? Go for a ride?"

"Yeah. Just the two of us. We'll go wherever you want to go. Someplace out of the city I'll bet."

Mitsuru beamed and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "That would be very fun but can you ride a motorcycle?"

"It can't be too different from riding a bicycle can it?" Minato said, shrugging.

"Oh it's very different. I think you'll have to sit on the back until you get your license."

"That's a shame. I was looking forward to being able to take you around."

_And I was looking forward to being able to hold onto you_, Mitsuru thought. She cut the thought and smiled sheepishly to ensure her expression didn't display her thoughts. _Don't say that! It…It might be true but it's only the first date! _"Don't worry. Once we're done with the final Shadows, I'll have plenty of time to teach you." She glanced downwards for a second, her eyes focusing on the small box in front of her, and then gasped as she remembered what they were supposed to be doing in the first place. "Um, Arisato, there's no special etiquette for takoyaki is there?"

Minato chuckled. "No there isn't. But we should definitely eat it now while it's still fresh."

Mitsuru nodded and they began eating. Minato noticed that she seemed to be enjoying it more than the ramen and he thought it was probably because there was no need to make loud slurping noises.

"I can't believe I've been missing out on food like this," Mitsuru said when they finished. "It's simple but absolutely delicious. I think I might have to come back here again."

Minato smiled. It made him happy to see Mitsuru happy and if there was anything he could've asked for on a date, it was this. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Still, I can't believe you haven't tried street food. I thought you would have, especially after meeting me ten years ago."

"I would have thought so as well but my father wasn't too fond of us wandering around Iwatodai without any sort of bodyguards. Also, you were more interested in the food our chefs cooked."

"No. Really?"

"Mhmm. You almost got sick the first time our families had dinner together because you tried to eat a helping of everything."

The image of himself as a six year old gobbling up expensive dishes in a dining room that looked eerily similar to the one in the Kirijo Mansion on Yakushima appeared in Minato's mind and he stifled a laugh. "I did that? Yikes. Now I feel like the one who doesn't know any etiquette."

"You were only six so you were forgiven for being so greedy. Although, neither of our parents needed to tell you that because your stomach did it for them." She gave him a mischievous smile and stood up. "Anyway, I think that should be enough stories for one night. You ready to go?"

Minato agreed (he was still embarrassed that he had acted like a man from the Stone Age in front of Mitsuru, her father and his parents) and they began to make their way back to the dorm. He was thankful that tonight had gone well and without any incursions by the Gekkoukan students who hated him and loved her. Setting up an outing like this was already hard enough due to Mitsuru's tight schedule and it would have been all too easy for them to ruin it.

"Say Arisato, can I ask you a question?" Mitsuru asked as they made a left turn into the almost empty street where the dorm was located. "It may be premature but it's completely hypothetical."

"Sure."

"What are your thoughts on marriage?"

Minato stopped walking and tensed. He hadn't expected something that serious to pop up on a first date, even if it was hypothetical. _Well this date isn't really the first. We've had plenty of moments together. But for an official date…it's a bit early to be asking that isn't it?_

"Well…I'd say it's…the result of love. I don't see why you would get married otherwise."

Mitsuru chuckled. "You're so straightforward."

"And you're not?"

She looked off into the distance of the street. "As a Kirijo, I've been taught not to let my emotions get in the way of making important decisions. So I see marriage as a social agreement between two consenting parties based on the mutual benefit of their association."

"That's the first time I've ever heard marriage being described that way."

"It's unconventional I know. But after seeing how well my parents' relationship turned out after their arranged marriage…I don't know. I don't consider them unfortunate." She looked at him with hopeful eyes." Love comes in many different forms right?"

Now it was Minato's turn to look down the street. "I suppose it does. But personally, I'd only get married to a person that I really love. No matter what other benefits it may bring, maintaining and developing the relationship comes first. If you can't make it work, then there's no point." He then gave her a small smile. "This is all hypothetically speaking right?"

"O-Of course. I was just curious since I've noticed that there are fewer books on marriage and family life than there are romance novels. Don't worry about it."

Her tone of voice sounded melancholic but Minato couldn't catch it over the wind, which was picking up in speed. Not wanting to linger out on the street any longer, they hurried to the dorm. When they entered however, the lobby was empty. Minato frowned. It was a strange sight to behold as normally there would be someone around; if there wasn't, Koromaru would at least be there to greet whoever came back. But the dog wasn't here. He glanced at Mitsuru, who was equally puzzled, and walked with her to the staircase. He didn't know why but he was expecting everyone to be upstairs, sitting on the couches by the vending machines and waiting to surprise them with party whistles, confetti and a banner that read _How was the first date?_

There was nobody waiting for them on the girls' floor though and it occurred to Minato that perhaps everyone had gone out to give them some privacy. But would they really still be out? At quarter to ten o'clock at night? Tartarus was a no go today so there was no reason to cut back on sleep when they needed all the sleep they could get. _Maybe they're all already sleeping. It's either that or they took Koromaru for a huge walk. _He shrugged off the thoughts and led Mitsuru to her room. Whatever it was that they were doing, he was grateful for their courtesy.

"Thank you for tonight Arisato," Mitsuru said when they were standing in front of the door to her room. "I wasn't sure what to expect coming into this date and once Takeba started throwing out ideas, I was nervous that I'd have to pretend to be something I'm not. I know this isn't the first time we've been alone together but there was something about being with you tonight that made me feel at ease. I could be more of myself around you and less of the girl people expect to see."

"It's not a problem at all," Minato said. "And thank you for telling the story of how we met. I'm sure it was something you wanted to get off your chest."

"Oh it was. Akihiko was even pestering me to hurry up and tell you."

Minato shook his head and smiled. _That Akihiko. _"Anyway, we should do this again. Maybe I'll take you to the beef bowl place next time. There isn't too much etiquette there."

"I'll have to get back to you on when I can make it but I'll be looking forward to it." She placed a hand on the door knob and turned it. "I'll see you in the morning."

Minato bade her good night and watched as she entered her room. He caught a glimpse of a peach colored wall, an elaborate white display cabinet and a white regal looking sofa before the door closed. He wondered for a moment what her room looked like, then pushed the thought aside. It was against dorm regulations for boys to enter the girls' rooms and besides, he had to respect her privacy. Regardless of how close they had been and how close they were now, Minato knew that came first.

What concerned him more however, was the brief discussion on marriage. The topic seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and the fact that Mitsuru had brought it up made it even more unusual because it was something he'd expect to hear from Yukari. Even then, it was much too early to be talking about marriage and what everyone's views towards it were. Minato thought hard to determine why she had brought it up as he descended the flight of stairs to the second floor and when he reached his room, he let the matter go. It was probably something Yukari had asked Mitsuru to bring up for whatever random reason (although to his knowledge, Minato felt that discussing marriage was something that should have been saved for future dates) and not anything too important. Feeling satisfied with that answer, he entered his room and closed the door.

* * *

In a room one floor above Minato's, Mitsuru flipped her phone open and checked her messages. There was one from Yukari, as expected, who asked how the date went but there was also one from Akihiko asking the same thing. She was surprised to find the boxer's message in her inbox and was about to reply when her phone beeped.

_Who's sending me messages this late at night? _

She navigated to the new message and her heart lurched at seeing the sender.

It was her fiancé.


	31. Escapade

**A/N: It's been a while since I've covered a full moon operation and writing this one was quite a blast. Well, anything's a blast when Strega is in it and I've made their presence more well pronounced during this operation as well. Someone pointed out in a previous review that the story is moving along to that point where tensions between the members of S.E.E.S. are rising and that's what I've attempted to convey here, or at least the 'calm before the storm' moments. The next chapter in particular will also have this theme and will serve as an interlude of sorts. **

**For those who haven't played P3, fall/autumn is the arc where things take a downturn. Most of you will know what lies ahead but I have planned some extra events that showcase more of Strega and shake S.E.E.S. up even more. **

**Hope you enjoy this one. **

* * *

Parting ways with Junpei was a double edged sword for Chidori. On one hand, it was a huge relief since she didn't have to keep up the facade of being interested in things he had to say (unless it was when he spoke of his exploits during the Dark Hour in which case he had her full attention). On the other hand, it was bittersweet, like arriving at the end of a book or movie that you had to wait at least a year for. She rather enjoyed her talks with Junpei and found it amusing when he did his little skits, even if she didn't understand what he was going on about at all.

But now that he had told her what she needed to know, what Takaya instructed her to find out from him, there would be no need to see him anymore. His use as an information source was done and dusted. Whether or not the information itself was accurate was none of her concern; her job was to subdue him and get him to talk.

_Which I have done with no regrets_, she thought as she entered the area behind Port Island Station. She had ensured that Junpei had truly left the station before she disappeared into the alleyways and waiting for him to do so took longer than expected. Dusk was fast approaching and in the dank, cigarette-infested alleyways, shadows were beginning their feast on the slivers of sunlight that remained. As she walked, Chidori wondered if Takaya would be angry at her for turning up late. She thought not, though it was possible that he would be. Ever since he had learnt that S.E.E.S. had survived the fight with the Shadow in the underground arena, she noticed Takaya becoming more temperamental. It was apparent in Jin too but on a much lower scale. Chidori claimed that it was because they had both overdosed themselves on those suppressant pills but Takaya was adamant in saying that it was because his little foray into the underground arena didn't achieve what it was supposed to achieve. She had the faintest idea of what Takaya meant by that since if she remembered right, the objective was to let S.E.E.S. know that they were doing the wrong thing by destroying the full moon Shadows.

And wasn't that met?

She shrugged off the thought and crossed the courtyard into a narrow passageway. After a few steps, she made a right turn into another narrow passageway and entered the door to the rundown condominium on her left. Compared to some of the other buildings in the area, which, when placed beside some of the more modern buildings, looked like a bunch of poor children in second hand clothing, this one still looked respectable enough to warrant a pass on being demolished. That being said, the interior was in need of a major renovation. As Chidori passed through the unremarkable lobby and climbed the flight of stairs to the third floor (she could have taken the elevator but it was out of operation and even if it were working, she wouldn't have taken it anyway), she heard and felt the wooden flooring groan with every step. Saw the dark green paint peeling off the walls, the layers of cobwebs hanging in the corners of the roof, the scattered holes in the roof that had faint trickles of light cascading down. Smelt the musky scent of aging wood and stagnant air. It was a wonder that anybody could stand to live here, especially when there were cleaner and much more homely apartments just a few blocks away, yet Chidori didn't care. To her, this was home.

At least for now anyway.

Once she reached the end of the corridor, she knocked on the door once, paused, and then knocked three more times. A voice from inside told her to come in and she pushed the door open, revealing Takaya and Jin. The former was standing by the only window in the room, watching nightfall sweep Port Island Station while the latter was sitting on the bed, typing rapidly on his laptop.

"So, how was your little date?" Takaya asked without turning around. "Did you extract any information from him?"

"I did," Chidori said. "But most of what he told me were lies and information we already know."

Jin stopped typing and looked up. "Figures. Well that's what you'd expect from targeting the biggest idiot in the group."

"Indeed it is," Takaya said. "However, it is the idiot's trust that we need for us to make our next move." He paused for a moment, as if he remembered something important. "Tell me Chidori, for I am curious, what did he say?"

"He claimed to be the leader of their group. And one of the strongest. Which of course we know is false since Arisato is the one who leads them."

Jin snickered though after a few seconds, he couldn't hold it back any longer and guffawed. "Really? He told you that? Man, what a retard. Little Miss Kirijo must be desperate if she's employing idiots like him to fight for her."

"It seems so," Takaya said in a disinterested voice.

Chidori took offense to hearing Junpei being called an idiot and a retard but she remained quiet and kept her face neutral. Although she did agree with them that Junpei wasn't very bright, was it really necessary to keep calling him childish names?

_Yes it is_, the rational part of her mind answered. _It's what reminds you of who the enemy is. Junpei is not your friend._

_ He was very friendly_ _today and all the days before that though_, the other part replied in a voice that Chidori thought was completely unlike her. _So it's alright for you to feel this way._

_ Are you being out of your mind? Junpei is the ENEMY. He is NOT your friend._

Before the other part of her mind could continue the debate, Takaya turned around to face his companions and continued the conversation. "But it is interesting that he would tell _you_," his eyes locked onto Chidori, "a girl he doesn't even know, about the Dark Hour and what his team does during it. You must have gained his trust then."

Chidori nodded, afraid that whatever she said would be the words the irrational part of her mind would've said. She swallowed hard, inhaled and then asked, "So what is your plan for the next full moon?"

Takaya exchanged a glance with Jin and grinned. "Sabotage."

* * *

Ken ducked as a bolt of lightning zoomed over his head and scarred the wall behind him. He then concentrated, raised his Evoker to his temple and pulled the trigger. Nemesis materialized in the air above him and charged towards the Shadow, which was a black quadruped creature that had its legs connected to the cables on the floor, a white mane, and what looked to be several large light bulbs on its back. Before Nemesis could slam its jagged ring into the Shadow though, the latter started absorbing electricity from the cables, causing them to crackle, and summoned bolts of lightning that danced around itself intermittently. Realizing the danger of the barrier, Ken commanded his Persona to fall back. He would not allow the connection to be broken so easily. Not when he could only handle the sharp pain that smacked him in the head and body a maximum of two or three times.

The Shadow anticipated this retreat however and it directed some of the lightning bolts at Nemesis. Ken cried out and watched hopelessly as his Persona was about to be struck when there was a gunshot and the lightning instead collided into a shield of ice, which shattered into tiny pieces and fell to the floor like sprinkles.

"Amada!" Mitsuru said, lowering her Evoker. "Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine senpai."

"Good. Next time, don't be so hasty. We need to buy Arisato and the others more time so try to ensure your Persona isn't hit." She dismissed Penthesilea, and then closed her eyes and tapped into the communication network that Fuuka had set up with her Persona. "Yamagishi, how are the others doing? Have they located the underground generator?"

From outside Club Escapade, Fuuka, who was inside her Persona's glass sphere, replied, "Not yet. Aigis tells me that they are close but are being held up by Shadows. Can you still hold on for a few more minutes?"

"We can try." Mitsuru opened her eyes and turned around. "Okay you two, it's time to get back into it."

Akihiko grinned and readied his Evoker. "Heh, round three here we go. You ready to see my Persona last longer than yours again Shinji?"

"Shut up and just get on with it already," Shinjiro said.

Two more gunshots resounded in the warped dance floor of the nightclub and two Personas darted towards the Shadow. Ken watched in awe as his senpai's Personas evaded the lightning bolts and slammed into the Shadow's electric barrier. Castor struck the barrier first and flickered momentarily before dissipating. Ken heard Shinjiro grunt but that was soon drowned out as Polydeuces broke through the barrier and threw a punch at the Shadow. Bright blue flashes of light flickered as the Shadow countered the attack with lightning and an explosion ensued.

Seeing Akihiko cringe as his Persona dissipated for the third time, Shinjiro breathing heavily, and Mitsuru readying for another sortie at the Shadow, Ken gripped his Evoker tighter. At this rate, they'd be lucky if they could attack the Shadow one more time and still walk out of here without being completely deprived of energy. He wondered if the fight would have played out any differently if Minato was here.

_I'm sure it would have,_ he thought. _Arisato-senpai is stronger than all of us. Heck, even if Iori-senpai was here, we'd be in a much better position. I can't believe he would ditch us for something like this. _

The disappearance of Junpei had come as a bit of a surprise for everyone and after a thorough search of the dorm, which yielded no results, Ken found himself as annoyed as Yukari was over Junpei's absence. And although the Chairman had blamed it on teenage mood swings, Ken wasn't so sure that that was the correct explanation. If Fuuka and Akihiko's story of how Junpei had felt like a useless nobody that couldn't contribute to the team, became jealous of Minato's powers and got into a fight with him which almost destroyed the dorm was to be believed (and Ken did believe it), then it was possible that Junpei had disappeared because he didn't want to repeat what happened in the past. With Shinjiro and Aigis around, it'd be even more difficult for him to prove his worth, which, according to Yukari, was something he'd been trying to do since the first full moon operation where he screwed up.

But after the fiasco of the previous operation, Ken believed that they were going to need everyone present to deal with Strega and the four remaining Shadows. Takaya and Jin were no pushovers and neither were the Shadows that had yet to show themselves.

Ken raised his Evoker and summoned his Persona once more. Mitsuru, who was standing beside him, did the same. Just as they were about to issue orders, Fuuka spoke in their minds.

"Senpai!" she said. "Minato and the others have arrived at the generator room. They're expecting to turn it off in the next few seconds so get ready!"

"Understood, Yamagishi," Mitsuru replied. She turned to Ken. "Are you ready?"

Ken looked from Mitsuru and her Persona, to the Shadow and its dazzling electricity show, and back to Mitsuru. Then he nodded. "Let's go!"

* * *

The bow vibrated in Yukari's fingers as she released an arrow into the green darkness. She wasn't sure if she had hit anything but it was better than waiting for the Shadows to get closer. If that happened, she would be done for and there was no way she could rely on her Persona in such a confined space. She suddenly wished that she had chosen to stay at the nightclub to distract the Shadow from draining Port Island's electricity supply instead of venturing into the restricted areas of Paulownia Mall to find and switch off the electricity generator. After Fuuka's analysis on the Shadow, cutting it off from the electricity supply was the only way to damage it and that meant splitting into two teams.

_It's all Stupei's fault,_ she thought. _If he hadn't run off somewhere, he could've taken my place here and I could've been back up there, where I can actually see where I'm going and what I'm doing. _

Yukari found it strange that Junpei had decided to sit this fight out because he was normally excited when another full moon operation came around. His eagerness couldn't match that of Akihiko's but he still wanted to make up for the time he almost got her and Minato killed on the monorail. She wondered if she'd ever witness it happen and jumped when Koromaru barked from up ahead.

"What's he saying Aigis?" Minato asked as he slashed at a floating Shadow that wore a pink tiara.

"Koromaru says that the generator room is straight ahead," Aigis translated. "He also says something smells odd and that most of the Shadows have retreated."

"Does that mean there's something waiting for us in there?" Yukari asked.

"It is possible."

Yukari shivered as they continued down the long dark corridor. The thought of there being another full moon Shadow had crossed her mind when Fuuka pointed out they would have to split into teams. Because that was the trend wasn't it? Wherever the first Shadow was, the second would be nearby and generally positioned to aid the first. It had been like this since Fuuka joined the team and Yukari was sure as hell that tonight was no different. And now that there were no more Shadows standing in their way, the potential for that thought to become reality was becoming more and more likely.

_Maybe that's why Minato opted to take lead of this team. Just in case there was something down here. _She felt somewhat proud at figuring that out but that feeling faded when they entered the generator room. A murky dark green glow, the Dark Hour's choice of color, coated the room and made the many generators appear as black bulky objects. Two sets of walkways – one on the right and one on the left – led down from where they stood to the ground level and in front of them was a narrow walkway where one could oversee what was happening in the whole room. With the Dark Hour rendering all electronics and machines useless, the usual whirring of the generators was replaced by an eerie silence. Yukari shivered again. Now she really wished she hadn't come down here.

"Alright you guys, keep an eye out for any activity from the generators," Minato said, sheathing his sword and drawing his Evoker. "Aigis, do you think you can–"

A rattling hum interrupted Minato and seconds later, blinding flashes of blue lightning appeared and circled a generator located near the back of the room.

"Well that must be the one we need to switch off," Yukari said, turning her eyes away from the bright flashing. "Should we go straight or down the stairs?"

Minato opened his mouth to make a decision but instead of hearing his voice, Yukari heard an ear piercing whinny. The four of them turned and saw a knight in black armor floating just above the walkway, sitting atop its devilish steed and holding a sinister jousting lance. Yukari's heart lurched at seeing the size of the Shadow and when it pointed its lance at them, alarm bells began ringing in her head. This was the partner of the Shadow in the nightclub. It had to be.

The Shadow then charged straight for them. In a panic, Yukari loaded her bow with two arrows and fired them as soon as she drew the bowstring as far back as she could. Aigis accompanied her by pointing her fingers at the Shadow and unleashing a burst of gunfire. The first arrow missed its target. The second, along with the bullets, ricocheted off the Shadow's armor.

Not knowing what else to do, Yukari hastily slung her bow across her shoulder and drew her Evoker. She raised it, placed her finger on the trigger, and was about to squeeze it when Koromaru howled. Cerberus materialized in front of them and roared, summoning flames that teared at the Shadow's steed. It seemed to be ineffective too though, and the Shadow darted straight through the flames and smashed into Cerberus. The Persona vanished and Yukari heard Koromaru whimper in pain. She moved to stand in front of him and when she looked up, the Shadow had reached them.

Before it could impale them all on its lance, Aigis deployed her Persona. Palladion immediately appeared and shielded them from the Shadow's attack. Relief washed over Yukari for now they were safe and could move into a better position where they could–

Palladion flickered.

It happened in a span of milliseconds but Yukari saw it and realized Aigis wasn't going to be able to lock the Shadow down like this for very much longer. Within the next few seconds, the Shadow would break through Palladion's shield and they would be wide open. Yukari raised her Evoker and squeezed the trigger. In doing so, she heard a gunshot on her right and noticed Minato had summoned Orpheus. Like before on their very first full moon operation, both of them had their Personas strike the Shadow. Io's wind pushed the Shadow back along the walkway (though not by much) and Orpheus blasted the Shadow with multiple fiery explosions.

To Yukari's horror, the Shadow remained relatively unharmed after their retaliation and followed up with a slash at their Personas. Unprepared for the sudden counter, Orpheus and Io dissipated and after a few seconds, so did Palladion. The recoil created by all three Personas vanishing so close to their owners sent Aigis flying down the left walkway, Yukari and Koromaru rolling down the right walkway, and Minato back into the doorway where they had came from.

Yukari hit the floor of the room, winced as her right arm smacked into the wall, and again when Koromaru crashed into her. It was pitch black down here and as she waited for her eyes to focus, more blue lightning shot upwards from the generator at the back of the room.

"Everyone!" Fuuka yelled in their minds, causing Yukari's head to ache slightly. "Mitsuru-senpai says the Shadow has absorbed too much energy and won't be able to hold out much longer! You've got to turn off that generator as soon as possible!"

Yukari heard Aigis reply that they would get to it soon, and then looked upwards as three more gunshots pierced the air. She saw Minato had moved to the center of the walkway, closer to the Shadow, and was flanked by three Personas she didn't recognize. She watched Minato push those three Personas together and what followed was a glowing white light that lit up the entire room like a firework. Emerging from the light was a caped warrior clad in white armor. The new Persona was carrying a spear and once the light faded, it dashed to the Shadow and attacked.

"Yukari! Aigis! Go and turn off that generator!" Minato shouted over the cracking bolts of electricity and the metallic clang of steel on steel. "I'll distract it for you!"

"R-Right!" Yukari answered. She scrambled to her feet, scooped up Koromaru, and ran to where the sound of gunfire was the loudest. She found the android hiding behind a generator, popping in and out of cover every now and then to unleash a barrage of bullets. "C'mon Aigis! Minato's got this and I need your help to turn off that generator."

"Understood Yukari-san," Aigis said.

The two of them glanced upwards to where Minato was for a moment, and then darted towards the generator.

* * *

Fuuka received the message. And as soon as she did, she sent it to Mitsuru.

* * *

The crackling ceased.

Ken lowered his arms (he and the others were bracing themselves as their Personas took the full brunt of the Shadow's massive electricity discharge a few moments earlier) and noticed that the Shadow was stunned, no longer standing upright and didn't have any bolts of lightning circling around itself.

"Looks like they did it," Akihiko said. "And just at the right time too."

Shinjiro scoffed. "The right time would've been a couple of minutes ago when they said they were in the generator room."

"I'm sure there was something holding them up on their end though," Ken said. "Perhaps there was another Shadow like this one."

"I doubt that's the case since Yamagishi didn't sense any other strong presence," Mitsuru said. "But it doesn't matter. They got the generator down so now let's finish it before it charges itself up again."

With those words, the four of them summoned their Personas and attacked. There was a satisfying thud as the Shadow collapsed to the floor, looking like a sick goat.

"Well Shinji, you can have the honour of destroying it," Akihiko said with a smug smile.

"Oh is that how it is now?" Shinjiro retorted. "A consolation prize cos I didn't hit the Shadow at all?"

"Yeah. I'll give you that much."

"I appreciate your generosity."

"You should."

"I will."

"Good."

Ken couldn't help smiling at this exchange, which was still going, and uttered a light chuckle. Mitsuru on the other hand was rather fed up with this and sighed.

"If neither of you can decide, then I'm going to do it," she said sharply, stepping forward.

Her words grabbed both Akihiko and Shinjiro's attention instantly and they stopped arguing.

"Alright. I'll do it," Shinjiro said. He walked to where the Shadow lay defeated, raised his Evoker…

And dropped it.

The Evoker bounced off the floor and out of reach. Ken looked from it to see Shinjiro hunched over, convulsing violently, and clutching his chest as if he were being strangled by some unseen force.

"Aragaki-senpai?" Ken said.

"Shinji?" Akihiko said.

Both of them moved towards him but Shinjiro raised his hand. "Get…away from…me," Shinjiro said in a strangled voice. He staggered backwards to where the Shadow was and after a few moments, screamed in agony as Castor materialized by itself.

Ken's eyes widened at what he was seeing and the story of how Minato had lost control earlier that year replayed in his mind. _Was this what it was like for them when it happened? _He thought it probably was except in that story, Junpei was the catalyst. Here, Shinjiro's Persona had arisen on its own and without its owner's consent.

A pair of gunshots brought him out of his thoughts and he saw both Polydeuces and Penthesilea, floating in the air, ready to be dispatched to deal with the feral Castor.

It was unnecessary though, because Castor was more interested in destroying the Shadow. The Persona picked up the Shadow by its masked face, disconnecting it from all the cables on the floor in the process, and threw it across the room. Clouds of smoke rose into the air as the Shadow crashed and more continued to do so when Castor repeatedly stomped it into oblivion; the Persona's ghostly whinnying creating an atmosphere so haunting that made this visit to Club Escapade Ken's first and only visit.

He, Mitsuru and Akihiko could only watch the carnage with a sense of dread. Some part of Ken thought that this more than made up for Shinjiro's inability to land a hit on the Shadow but one look at Akihiko told him that light-heartedness had left the building. He turned back to watch Castor continue its relentless stomping and noticed that Shinjiro was extremely close to getting flattened by his own Persona.

Ken wasn't sure if either Mitsuru or Akihiko noticed this. He assumed they didn't and on impulse, ran forward to warn Shinjiro.

"Aragaki-senpai!" he cried. "Watch out!"

At that moment, Castor stomped the Shadow for the final time. Black goo sprayed in all directions and Ken raised his arms to shield himself from being splattered in the face. He then lowered his arms and looked up. Floating above him and staring with crimson eyes was Castor. The Persona was one Ken had seen several times in Tartarus but meeting its gaze now triggered an image in Ken's mind. It was an image that he'd tried to forget over the last two years, an image that left him traumatized for life.

Ken told himself that it couldn't be possible, that there was no way in hell that Castor had been the one to do the horrible deed. Then Castor's horse whinnied again, the image of his mother being crushed to death by falling debris flashed across his eyes again, and the memories that were deeply buried blasted out of his subconscious like a geyser. He remembered how the Persona had posed in that courtyard and how it had gone on a rampage. How it had damaged most of the surrounding buildings as it pursued something black and gooey. How it had then smashed into the building where he and his mother were living in, knocking them out of their apartment room and onto the courtyard, and creating the debris that crushed his mother.

_It was _ 's_ the one who did it. Not the Shadows. _Him.

The sudden realization paralyzed Ken and he stood completely still. While he was looking at Castor as if the Persona was some famous monument, he wasn't seeing Castor at all. Instead, he saw the long buried memory replaying itself over and over again; each iteration adding more details that he would never forget. His mother's scream. The spray of blood. The silhouette of a teenage boy wearing a beanie. Everything was coming back to him so quickly to the point where he didn't hear Mitsuru telling him to move, see the hoof of Castor's horse about to trample him, and feel Akihiko's tackle that sent them both out of harm's way. Even as he crashed to the floor, registering pain in his chest, the memory didn't leave. It lingered in his mind for the remainder of the night and throughout the whole of September.

* * *

Akihiko quickly glanced at Ken. Seeing that the boy was unharmed, he looked over to where Castor was, saw that the Persona was readying a second charge at them, and then directed his eyes to where Shinjiro was. It didn't look like his old partner would be able to get Castor under control before the Persona got to them so Akihiko shouted, "Mitsuru! Hit it now while it's still vulnerable!"

Mitsuru didn't need to be told and had her Persona launch a dozen ice missiles that flew across the room and stabbed Castor's chest, arm and horse. This was enough to turn Castor's attention away from Ken and Akihiko but it wasn't enough to make him dissipate. Desperate to ensure that the accident from two years ago didn't repeat itself again, Mitsuru then had Penthesilea engage in direct combat with Castor. The fight wasn't much of one – Penthesilea effortlessly broke through Castor's defence after feinting with her rapier twice and then lunging.

"Goddammit!" Shinjiro growled in that same strangled voice, flinching each time Castor was struck. He was annoyed at the pain that surged through his chest from each hit his Persona took but knew Mitsuru was doing the right thing. It was better this way than the alternative of letting Castor roam free. His eyes then fixated on where Ken and Akihiko were. He met Akihiko's worried gaze and not wanting to see that pathetic look on Aki's face, Shinjiro closed his eyes, concentrated and reached out for his Persona with his mind. Now that Mitsuru had weakened Castor for him, it was significantly easier to do so and once he grabbed hold of it, he shoved it back into his subconscious. Castor flickered and glitched out like an old '90s arcade game before finally disappearing in a purplish glow of light.

Akihiko and Mitsuru exchanged a glance, both relieved to see the relief in the other's eyes. They then turned their attention on Shinjiro, who was still breathing heavily, and began to approach him. Before either of them could get close or ask if he was alright, Shinjiro's eyes snapped open. He regarded his comrades the way a detective would upon realizing that he'd made a mistake that had cost him someone's life and darted for the exit, ashamed and disgusted at what he'd done.

A vision flashed briefly in Akihiko's mind and he remembered that this was exactly how the events of the accident two years ago played out. Shinjiro lost control of his Persona. Shinjiro's Persona went and destroyed everything in its path. Shinjiro somehow regained control after a tiring internal struggle. Shinjiro looked at both him and Mitsuru with that shameful face and then ran off, unable to be found for the next few weeks.

Back then, they could afford to disband S.E.E.S. because hunting and killing Shadows was just an activity that served as Akihiko and Shinjiro's means of repayment for Mitsuru's hospitality, as well as providing additional training for Akihiko's boxing career. Other than that, there was no more to it. But with only four more full moon Shadows to eliminate till the threat of the Dark Hour was over, Akihiko knew that there was no room for someone as powerful as Shinjiro to leave and he wasn't going to allow what happened in the past happen again. So without further thought, he got up and raced after Shinjiro.

* * *

The first thing Minato saw when he emerged from a door that led to the restricted areas of Paulownia Mall was Akihiko running out of Club Escapade, past the trio of wishing fountains (which were all now lifeless pools of blood) and towards the exit. He wondered why the boxer would have sprinted off like that and thoughts of something happening to Mitsuru, Ken or Shinjiro filled his mind. Was it Strega? Had they interfered with the operation again? Or was it something to do with Junpei?

Minato could only speculate as he waited for the others to come out. Once they did, they all made their way to the center fountain where Mitsuru, Fuuka and Ken were standing; the latter keeping his distance from both girls.

_Something definitely happened_, he thought. _And it can't be good. _

"Thank goodness you're all okay," Mitsuru said. "I didn't hear from you after receiving your message so I feared the worst."

"There was just another one of those strong Shadows that caught us by surprise," Yukari said. "Luckily it wasn't another full moon Shadow otherwise we would've been overwhelmed." She paused and looked around. "Hang on, where's Akihiko and Shinjiro-senpai?"

Mitsuru glanced at Ken, who had a look of stupor on his face, and then turned her attention back to Minato, Yukari and Aigis. It appeared that she would keep the details to herself again but instead she said, "There's been a situation with Aragaki." And then she briefly explained what happened when they were about to deliver the killing blow to the Shadow: how Shinjiro lost control of his Persona and how they had to weaken it so that he could regain control. Minato noticed that Mitsuru avoided speaking of how this had happened to Shinjiro once before and she had looked at him with a gaze that told him to stay quiet every time the opportunity to add that information into the story presented itself.

"So should we go after them?" Yukari asked once Mitsuru finished.

Koromaru barked twice and Aigis translated that he too wanted permission to run after _Beanie Guy_ and _Akee_.

"For now, I think it's better if we let Akihiko deal with Aragaki by himself," Mitsuru said. "If we all went, we would just give Aragaki more incentive to stay away from us."

Yukari and Minato nodded. Koromaru's ears drooped and he uttered a small whine that Aigis translated as 'Oh alright then." And Ken remained where he was, oblivious to their conversation. Minato had suspicions about what had happened to the boy but his chance to raise the subject was stopped when Fuuka spoke from inside her Persona.

"Um guys, I've managed to locate Junpei," she said. "Apparently he's been at the dorm this whole time."

"Seriously?" Yukari blurted. "That idiot has the nerve to stay at home the whole time while we were out fighting?"

"Well I don't know about that Yukari," Fuuka said, dismissing her Persona. "I just felt his presence a moment ago and it was coming from the dorm. Maybe he was somewhere outside Lucia's range before that." She looked down at her feet, feeling disappointed with herself.

"Maybe. But it's not your fault Fuuka. It's his. I swear I'll make him regret sitting this fight out."

"If you're going to do that," Minato said, giving Yukari a stern gaze, "then make sure you don't go too far. I don't want a repeat of what happened last time."

Seeing Minato look so serious, Yukari understood and promised she would tone her scolding down. With that settled, all of them, except Ken, agreed to return to the dorm and meet with Junpei. Minato watched Yukari, Fuuka and Aigis head toward the exit and was about to leave himself when he realized that Ken was still standing in that spot of his.

"Amada!" Mitsuru said. Her tone of voice was sharp and commanding and it was enough to snap Ken out of whatever trance he was in. "We're leaving now."

Ken blinked his eyes a few times, saw that only Minato, Mitsuru and Koromaru remained in the mall, and nodded. "R-Right senpai." He walked briskly to the exit, calling Koromaru to accompany him. Koromaru barked happily at his request and soon they were out of the mall.

Minato raised an eyebrow at this change of behavior. He turned to Mitsuru who had a tired and worried look on her face.

"You think he's acting strange too right?" she asked.

"I do. What happened to him?"

"I'm not sure." She then met his gaze, her eyes solemn. "But if I had to guess, I think he found out the truth."

* * *

Junpei opened his eyes.

A blurry image of a girl's face appeared and for a moment, he thought he was staring at Yukari. He immediately tried to think of something to say so that Yukari wouldn't shout her head off at him for missing the full moon Shadow operation and in doing so, felt his head throb. He cringed and moved his head at the sudden pain and found that it was a mistake to do so because more pain pulsed through his head.

_Did I somehow get drunk or somethin'? _he thought dismally, vowing that if it were true and he was indeed as drunk as his father was every other night, then he'd never touch alcohol again. He closed his eyes, waited a short while, and then opened them slowly. Upon seeing a pair of amber-brown eyes, and a fringe of red hair, he gasped. The face in front of him wasn't Yukari's.

It was Chidori's.

"You're finally awake Junpei," she said, her voice soft, steady, soothing.

Junpei appreciated that it wasn't any louder but something about her words made him uncomfortable. He tried to raise his arms to shake off the odd feeling that rose inside him and realized he couldn't move. He looked down at himself and saw that his arms were roped to his sides.

_What the damn hell? _he thought.

"Chi-Chidori?" he asked. The odd feeling was starting to spread to his head now and as it did, more throbs of pain assaulted Junpei. "Do ya mind untying me so I can get to my friends?"

Chidori shook her head and giggled. It was a cute sound but like the words she had spoken earlier, something was not quite right about it. "You know, I can't believe how easy it was to sneak up on you. I thought you said you were the strongest."

"Strongest doesn't mean…" He trailed off as he registered what she said before that. "Wait, you snuck up on me? Why would you do that?"

Chidori sighed, unsure of whether to feel sympathetic or repulsed at his stupidity.

_He just came to you know, _that voice which didn't belong to her said in her mind, _so obviously he wouldn't have a clue as to what you're saying._

_ Really? _the rational voice said. _And what if he's toying with you? Are you seriously telling yourself that he hasn't figured it out yet?_

"Why I did it because…because I had to," Chidori said, shutting up both voices in her head.

"You had to?" Junpei asked, now frowning. "Okay Chidori, I don't get what the big deal is but you better stop fooling around now. This isn't funny. There's a full moon right now and I gotta– " He cut off as he looked to his right and saw the moon painted in a sickening yellow hue.

_Wait a minute, _he thought with growing anxiety. _If the moon is yellow, that means we're in the Dark Hour. And if we're in the Dark Hour, then why is Chidori not a coffin? Don't tell me…_

"I'm not fooling around," Chidori said. "I'm just– "

"She's just following her orders," a new voice said.

Junpei looked over Chidori's shoulder and saw someone emerging from what looked like the dorm's rooftop door. He couldn't make out what the person looked like but it wasn't necessary to see who it was. He'd heard that voice before and he would always remember that the arrogance in it belonged to a certain bespectacled member of Strega.

Jin stepped out of the shadows and into the pale moonlight like a magician entering the stage with a faulty spotlight. He was carrying his briefcase and appeared very satisfied with himself.

"You're with Strega?" Junpei asked Chidori. A sharp pain stabbed at his heart as the words departed his mouth. Asking the question was more of a courtesy than anything else, and it was one that he didn't really need to know the answer to because he already knew the answer. It was written all over Chidori's somber face.

"Yes she's with us," Jin answered, now standing beside Chidori. "You really took your time in figuring that one out didn't you?"

Junpei ignored Jin and looked directly into Chidori's eyes. Unlike the first time he had seen them, they were devoid of any emotion, and gazing at them made him feel as if he were staring at a wax sculpture of her. "This was your plan all along wasn't it? The meetings, the blood on your hand that made me worry about you, the pictures you were drawing. It was all a set up."

Again, there was no answer from Chidori; she just stood where she was, unable to move, talk and even blink.

"But why?" Junpei continued. "Why would you set _me _up out of all people? Isn't Minato the one your crazy leader is interested in?"

"Because you're the easiest to fool," Jin said. He knelt down and grabbed Junpei by the front of his shirt, making little effort to hide his annoyance at being ignored. "And Takaya is not crazy you moron. Unlike Kirijo and Arisato, he's smart enough to realise and exploit the weaknesses in your precious little team. So you better watch your mouth or I'll make feeling betrayed the least of your worries."

Junpei couldn't help but laugh at this empty threat. It was a hollow laugh, a sound that was reserved for times when everything that worked out for you went down the drain and you didn't give a shit anymore. _What does it matter anyway? The only girl that I've gotten close to having a shot with is buddies with Strega. God, why does it always happen to me? Why can't it happen to Minato or anyone else? WHY?_

"Oh yeah?" Junpei said. "What are you gonna do? Kill me right here? That's pretty cowardly if you ask me. Then again, I'd expect nothing less from you sneaky bastards."

He expected Jin to punch him. Perhaps kick him a few times or even whack him in the head with that briefcase of his. Junpei knew he deserved it and it was only a matter of time before Jin's fury got the better of him. To his surprise however, Jin instead let go of his shirt and stood up.

"Come on Chidori, we're done here," he said. "Let's head back before the rest of em show up." He turned and started for the rooftop door but after a few steps, he realized Chidori hadn't moved from her spot. "Chidori, what are you doing? Let's go."

Junpei's heart thumped a little faster and he looked into Chidori's eyes again. He wasn't sure if had anything to do with the Dark Hour's special effects but he swore this time that he could see something different in her eyes.

Something like rebellion.

_Is she thinking about not following her orders? _Junpei thought. _Cos if she is, then I can maybe get the advantage over Jin. Now if I can just get out of this rope and get her Evo– _

The rooftop door burst open. His thoughts halted, Junpei looked past Jin and saw Minato, Mitsuru, Yukari, Aigis, Fuuka, Ken and Koromaru spilling out onto the roof.

"Junpei?!" Yukari exclaimed, taking in the scene before her.

"And _you_!" Mitsuru said, her eyes locked on Jin.

"Goddammit!" Jin spat. He grabbed his Evoker out of the left pocket that was strapped to his pants, raised it to his head and pulled the trigger. "Moros, come!" The one-armed platinum robot that Minato had faced back in the underground arena materialized in the air above Jin, and immediately launched tendrils of flames at Minato and the others.

Yukari was the first to react at his sudden attack and summoned her Persona. Io blew out the flames with a whirlwind and sent it straight at Moros. The impact knocked Moros back and Jin grimaced.

"Chidori!" he yelled. "Distract them!"

But Chidori didn't hear him. She was too occupied with what she'd done to Junpei and couldn't bring herself out of the daze she'd put herself in. Junpei decided that this was his best chance to snatch his Evoker (it looked like it was his anyway) out of her hands. He shimmied out of the rope, got up, wrapped his arms around Chidori's waist and tackled her to the floor. The Evoker flew out of reach and Junpei maintained his hold on her as to prevent her from going after it.

"No! Let me go!" Chidori cried, trying to wriggle out of Junpei's grip. "Medea!"

Jin turned to see his comrade down and cursed. Then he looked back at his escape route, which was now barricaded by Minato and the others. He glanced upwards and saw three more Personas (belonging to Arisato, Little Miss Kirijo and the robot) materializing. _Well shit, _he thought. _Looks like there's only one way out of this. _Jin backed up a few steps as Minato, Mitsuru, Yukari, and Aigis advanced forward, their Personas poised to attack. He reached into his other pocket and brought out a spherical object, seeing the confidence drain from their faces as they realized what he was holding.

"You might have got me this time but I've already accomplished what I need to do," Jin said. "So take this!" He pulled the ring off the grenade with his teeth and threw it at them.

* * *

_If I were Shinji, where would I go?_

The question was one that Akihiko had found most helpful to ask whenever he went looking for his old buddy. More often than not, he would find Shinjiro hanging out in the usual spot – the hidden courtyard in the alleyways behind Port Island Station – and by force of habit, he'd headed off in that direction. Akihiko doubted that Shinjiro would be anywhere else simply because besides the courtyard, the only other place Shinjiro would frequent was Hagakure Ramen.

_And he sure ain't eating ramen at this time,_ he thought.

As he went down the main avenue, passing coffins every now and then, he remembered how difficult it had been to find Shinjiro the first time this happened. Right after the incident that disbanded their team, Shinjiro had fled and ceased being contactable. It had taken Akihiko and Mitsuru almost a week to track Shinjiro down and when they found him in the same courtyard where the accident had happened, his old buddy had already decided he would quit S.E.E.S., saying he didn't want anything to do with them anymore.

The thought of Shinjiro repeating what happened in those days briefly crossed his mind and for a moment, Akihiko wondered if inviting him back into the group had been a mistake. He and Mitsuru had known of Shinjiro's inability to fully control his Persona and the threat it could pose to the team and yet he had still gone chasing after Shinjiro and pestered him to come back.

Akihiko shook his head. _ It wasn't a mistake, _he told himself. _If it weren't for Shinji, Ken would've been killed by the Shadows while we were at Yakushima and we wouldn't have gotten out of the previous operation alive. _Thinking of the things Shinjiro had done for them helped alleviate some of the doubt that clawed at him but it couldn't shake the feeling that what had happened back in the nightclub had been Akihiko's fault.

A piercing whinny sounded out in the dead night and Akihiko stopped moving. Recognizing it as Castor's, he observed his surroundings and concentrated on keeping an ear out for the noise. He didn't have the wait very long, for a second whinny pierced the night a few moments later. Akihiko turned in its direction and saw a faint white glow in the distance that looked almost ethereal in its appearance.

_Shinji_, he thought before running towards the glow.

It took him just under five minutes to reach what had once been a docking area but Akihiko didn't have to guess at what was happening. The answer was simple.

Shinji had lost control.

Again.

The situation was worse this time though because Castor held Shinjiro in the air, the Persona's hands firmly around Shinjiro's throat. Akihiko found his hand going to his Evoker but decided against it. No matter how tempting it seemed to be, he wasn't going to allow another fight between Personas happen. Experiencing it once when Minato had lost control was dreadful enough. Besides, there was the possibility of hitting Shinjiro.

So feeling like a pathetic bystander who pretended not to notice a gang of bullies beating the shit out of some little kid, Akihiko watched and waited for Shinjiro to regain control. Several seconds passed and when nothing happened, Akihiko found his hand going to his Evoker again.

_No, I can't do that. If I do, it's just gonna make things worse. And there's no way in hell that I can take down a berserk Persona in my current state. I'd get my ass kicked. _

Akihiko focused on those thoughts to prevent his hand from raising his Evoker and was so engrossed in doing so that he almost missed seeing Shinji pop something into his mouth. Moments later, Castor vanished and Shinjiro fell to the floor with a _thud_.

"Shinji!" Akihiko heard himself say as he ran to his old buddy. He knelt down and saw a small capsule on the floor beside Shinjiro. "What's in there?"

Shinjiro scoffed and leaned forward to grab the capsule. "It's nothing."

Akihiko snatched the capsule before Shinjiro could get hold of it, glanced at the label and gasped. "These are those pills I've heard about. The ones that can suppress your Persona from getting out of hand. But the side effects…" He tried to give Shinji one of his hard stares but what he gave instead was a look of fury laced with pain. "Why didn't you tell me you were taking this Shinji?!"

"Hmph. You know why."

"Come on. That was an accident and you know it wasn't your fault."

"Not my fault?" Shinjiro repeated. He raised his voice. "Not _my_ fault? That's bullshit! Who's the one that screwed up and completely ruined some kid's life Aki? Who was it?"

Akihiko didn't answer. There was no point. He knew Shinjiro was right and that Shinjiro knew that he knew the answer. "So that's why you came back huh? For Amada's sake?"

Shinjiro snorted and got up. "Perhaps. But something like that can't even begin to be atonement for what I've done to him. Hell, I can't even control my Persona and I let the thing happen in front of the kid again."

"And you decided to rely on drugs instead of seeking help from me?" Akihiko asked, getting to his feet as well. He wasn't sure if it was Shinji's stubbornness or hearing those words aloud that infuriated him but nonetheless, he yanked the front of Shinjiro's jacket. "Why? Why would you do that? Why would you not rely on me?"

"I almost killed him Aki," Shinjiro said calmly. "Don't you realize that? I almost _killed_ him. If it weren't for the goddam drugs I would've killed him!" He pushed Akihiko away. "Besides, would asking you have made any difference?"

Akihiko felt his anger rise at those words. He couldn't believe Shinji was this stubborn and could only look to the side. "I guess not."

"My thoughts exactly."

Shinjiro prepared to head off but stopped when Akihiko addressed him.

"Have the side effects shown up yet?" he asked softly, his anger exhausted. He didn't expect Shinjiro to answer, especially when his old buddy was already leaving, but perked up when Shinjiro did.

"No. And they won't until I've taken responsibility for my mistake."

* * *

The grenade exploded.

It hit the ground before anyone could react but instead of an explosion that left a scar on the floor, white grey smoke erupted forth and covered the whole rooftop. Minato was relieved that Jin had just thrown a smoke bomb and not an actual grenade, and after catching sight of a moving silhouette, he darted forward in the hopes of running into Jin. By the time he arrived at where the silhouette had been however, he found himself standing by the edge of the roof. Minato frowned. Had Jin really jumped off?

_He must have, _he thought while picturing the bespectacled member of Strega leaping off the roof with no concern for safety, _because there's no other means of escape. _He sighed and walked away from the edge. There would be another time to confront Jin and Takaya and end the threat they posed for good.

Once Yukari had her Persona blow the smoke away, Minato and the others found Junpei still holding Chidori down and approached him. The latter had given up in trying to break free of Junpei's hold and looked completely defeated.

"I can't believe I couldn't sense her until we got up here," Fuuka said as everyone sans Ken gathered around Junpei and Chidori.

"She must be a Persona-user who is able to conceal her presence," Mitsuru said, kneeling to take the Evoker from Koromaru, who had gone and retrieved it earlier while the smoke still shrouded the rooftop. She eyed Chidori, a number of questions popping up in her mind. "Are you allies with that man who was here earlier? What were you and him doing at the dorm? And why did you take Iori as a hostage?"

"I'm not…afraid of…dying…" Chidori whimpered as Junpei brought her to her feet. "M-Medea…Ah-I'm…"

"I think we should lay off the questions Mitsuru-senpai," Minato said. "For now anyway. We can try again when she's had some rest and is not so distressed."

Mitsuru looked at him for a moment. Minato noticed she was a trifle annoyed at not being able to have the answers now and returned the most neutral look he could muster. Then she nodded slowly.

"R-Right," she said. "Of course. In that case, we'll let her stay here for the night until we can make arrangements with the hospital."

"Should I stand guard in front of her room Mitsuru-san?" Aigis asked.

"Don't worry about it Aigis," Junpei said, his tone so stern that it made everyone flinch. "I'll make sure she doesn't wander off." He gave all of them a serious stare – he made sure his face was exceptionally serious when meeting Yukari's eyes – to really prove that he meant what he said.

"Alright then," Mitsuru said. "I'll leave her in your hands. Make sure you get some rest too Iori because I'm going to want a full report from you tomorrow."

Junpei nodded and guided Chidori to the rooftop door. As the rest of them followed suit, Minato remained behind on the roof and waited for the Dark Hour to end. He walked back to the edge where Jin had supposedly leaped off and looked out at the warped landscape of Iwatodai. While tonight hadn't been as close a call as the previous operation, he felt that it was the start of something brewing over their heads; a poisonous concoction of sorts that would rain down on them, tearing them apart and destroying them before the arrival of the final full moon Shadow. The ingredients were already there: Ken's distant behavior, Shinjiro's sudden departure, Junpei's no nonsense attitude, Strega knocking on their doorstep.

The latter was the one that scared him the most and when he had seen Jin standing in front of him, his instinct immediately told him to find Takaya instead of responding to Jin's attack. The fact that Takaya wasn't around did little to make him feel less anxious; on some level, Minato would have preferred to see the leader of Strega standing beside Jin because then at least, he wouldn't have to worry about being ambushed.

_ Takaya, just what are you planning by having your minions infiltrate the dorm and kidnap Junpei? _

Minato shook his head and started for the rooftop door. As he did, the Dark Hour ended, the rippling shift coursing through the air and turning everything back the way it should be.

Everything, except for the fate of S.E.E.S.


	32. Ambivalence

**A/N: So this chapter wasn't meant to be as long as it is but when the characters want to say and do certain things and refuse to yield, well, you can't really do anything other than go with their advice and let them have their way. This time round, I think it's been for the better as it primarily adds some more dynamics to Minato and Mitsuru's relationship. **

**In other news, college is starting once again so updates will still be pretty sporadic. Since there isn't too much material left before the end of the twelve Shadows arc, I'll be arranging the chapters so that it'll be the next full moon Shadow, followed by an interlude, and then the last full moon Shadow. I'm pretty eager to get these events done so that we can finally move on from it and head into something that will mark another turning point for the main couple, which, I hope, will be the highlight of the Fall arc. **

**Until then, enjoy this chapter, and I'll see you in the next update.**

* * *

The hour was late when Ken finished studying for the night. He was surprised at how long it had taken him to finish up one of the questions and was annoyed that there wasn't any free time left to watch the latest episode of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. _Oh well, _he thought, _it's not like I'll be missing out on much. I'm sure it was just the usual. _He shrugged and then quickly scanned his work to ensure he hadn't made any careless mistakes. Once done, he leaned back in his chair and stretched, feeling proud that he'd attempted the questions by himself and succeeded without any assistance. For hard questions, he'd normally go and ask Minato or Fuuka for guidance – when they weren't there, he would work up the courage and ask Mitsuru – but this time, he didn't want their help. In fact, outside of being greeted and asked random questions, he didn't want to speak with any of them at all. This change in behaviour was probably obvious to all his senpai and signalled that there was something wrong with him but even if he told them what he'd seen at Club Escapade, who would believe him? More importantly, what would be the point? They wouldn't understand and it'd lead to more unnecessary trouble.

_It's better to leave everyone out of this_. _It's none of their business. In the end, it just has to be me and _him_. _

Now all stretched out, Ken began packing up his study materials. As he finished placing his books into the small desk bookcase, his eyes hovered over the photo that stood beside his desk lamp. On impulse, he reached for it and brought it closer to his eyes. The picture was of him and the rest of S.E.E.S., taken shortly after the fireworks display during the summer festival at Naganaki Shrine. He still remembered how joyful that occasion was and how everyone had been in the best of moods; Junpei and Yukari seizing every opportunity to tease each other about how ugly they looked with those masks, only to be sent running when Fuuka scared them with the Hannya mask she was wearing; Akihiko and…_him…_getting into that takoyaki eating competition and ended up losing to Koromaru; Aigis almost blowing her cover by asking eyebrow raising questions; Minato and Mitsuru standing together closely as they watched the sky show, looking like a couple that would be on the cover of some gossip magazine.

Though it had happened only a month ago, it felt like a year had passed since then and Ken doubted that they would be as cheerful as that in the foreseeable future. The atmosphere of the dorm had shifted and whether that was solely because of the fact that Strega had been able to infiltrate the dorm so easily, Ken wasn't sure. He did know that the incident in the nightclub involving _him_ played a big role though, and _his _disappearance had affected everyone in different ways.

_But none of them would ever know how much _he's_ affected me. _

Ken laughed bitterly, thinking of how he had once thought of _him_ as a role model. In hindsight, he saw how foolish he was…but was he a fool? After all, _he_ had saved him from a potential Shadow attack, ran to his aid after the battle in the underground arena was over, and had even went to the summer festival with him despite _his _dislike for it. If that wasn't representative of a role model, then Ken didn't know what was.

_Maybe I shouldn't be_ _so _mad, he thought as his lips curved into a small smile. He's_ been nothing but kind to me the whole time and has done so much for…wait a minute. _Ken frowned. _He may have gone out of his way to look after me but is everything he's done all just an excuse to make up for the fact that _he_ killed my mother?_

The very thought made his heart ache and he gripped the photo tighter. An urge to throw the photo across the room flowed through him and Ken almost gave in when he remembered why they had taken the photo in the first place. It was to commemorate their accomplishments as a team, to serve as a reminder of what they had been through. Everyone had a copy of that photo and while nobody usually came to visit him in his room, he couldn't risk someone coming in here and discovering that he'd destroyed his copy. What would they think of him then? A little boy who was having anger issues that were way past his age? Ken thought so.

So he put the photo back on his desk. This time however, he placed the photo so that it lay face down. That way he didn't have to see _his_ face and if someone did ask, he'd say he accidentally knocked it over.

He felt satisfied enough that he'd solved that problem but was still unsettled and in no mood to sleep.

_ Too bad Fuuka-senpai is busy and we can't go to Tartarus. I could really use the practice for when the time comes. Speaking of which…_

Ken got up, took a red marker from his pen holder and walked to the calendar that hung above his bed on the wall. He flipped up the page displaying September's dates to reveal October. He circled the fourth with his marker and as he did so, the Dark Hour arrived, turning the red ink into a circle of blood. Ken yelped, dropped his marker and tumbled off the bed. There was a thump as he hit the floor. He heard someone approaching, followed by the creak of his door opening. Ken looked up and saw Yukari. His mind panicked and he hoped that Yukari didn't look over at this desk.

"Are you alright?" she asked in that sweet tone she used whenever she spoke to him. It was similar to the way his mother used to speak and although Ken didn't like it when he was being addressed as if he were a young child, he made an exception for this. "I heard you crying out and then a bump."

"I'm okay Yukari-san," Ken said. "I just, uh, had a nightmare. There's nothing to worry about."

He couldn't see her face clearly but was sure she had just raised an eyebrow.

"If you say so," she said. "Take it easy okay?"

"I will."

She closed the door and Ken was left alone in the green darkness. He glanced up at the calendar and saw that the red circle around October fourth was just that. A circle of red ink. Not blood.

_Did I just imagine it then?_

Ken told himself he did.

But he believed otherwise.

* * *

Takaya watched Jin's screen.

He had seen how Ken had almost thrown the photo across his room before deciding to leave it face down on his desk, and was fascinated at the amount of distress the boy was displaying. He thought the sole explanation for this unusual behaviour had to have something to do with the latest full moon Shadow being destroyed and he'd be surprised if it wasn't the case. These operations they conducted had a habit of changing people and Takaya only needed to recall the events of Shirakawa Boulevard and the subsequent events that occurred to support his belief.

He heard Jin stifle a laugh that would have otherwise filled the room that served as their headquarters and he sighed. "What?"

"The brat fell over after writing something on his calendar," Jin said.

Takaya leaned forward to take a closer look and indeed, Ken had fallen to the floor on his behind. The boy then looked away from the camera as the door opened to reveal the Takeba girl. After a short conversation, the door closed and Ken was alone again. Takaya folded his arms. That had been the fourth or fifth time the Takeba girl had spoken with the boy since the last full moon operation and it surprised him that she would be this concerned – he'd have thought that their _acquaintance_ would be the one showing more concern for the boy given his dedication in looking after him.

_Perhaps the boy has had a falling out with him. It would certainly explain why _he _isn't hanging around them very much. _

That thought filled Takaya with the image of seeing the two of them going all out at each other and sent tingles down his spine. Oh how exciting that would be to watch!

"…plan of yours is gonna make it so easy to get the drop on them," Jin was saying. "Heck, we could even finish them now and pick them off one by one."

Takaya only heard that last remark and he shook his head. "No. We're already disadvantaged in numbers so why should we overextend ourselves when we can sit back and watch them fight each other? I find it to be much more entertaining this way. Don't you?"

"Well yeah but…"

"Then let things run their course. We will have our chance again very soon." He heard Jin mumble something about the Takeba girl stopping his attack on the roof so effortlessly but decided to hold back from adding more wood to the fire. "It is a pity that Chidori isn't here to see your handiwork. You could have at least done a bit more to bring her back."

"You know that if I had tried to take her with me, we would've both ended up in their hands right?" Jin said.

Jin was right on that account. While the members of S.E.E.S. had been busy dealing with the full moon Shadow, Takaya had decided to let them have this one (there were still three more to go and he was sure that S.E.E.S. would be no more by the time the final Shadow appeared) and ordered Jin and Chidori to infiltrate their dorm. He hadn't expected the plan to be as successful as it was and he knew that the credit rested with Chidori. Without her seduction of Junpei over the last few weeks, it would've been impossible for Jin to enter the dorm and hack into all the security cameras.

"Of course," Takaya said. "I was just making a comment. Zoom up on the date the boy circled will you?"

Jin did as he was told. The image was a little pixelated but they could both see the date that was circled in red.

"October fourth?" Jin said, confused. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"Hardly. But what it means is irrelevant. All that matters is that the boy is planning something on that day. And I will be there to witness it."

* * *

"My name is Aigis. I am pleased to meet you all."

The response to her greeting was silence, followed by a few murmurs throughout the classroom. Minato waited to see if anyone would shout out a random question (like 'What kind of name is Aigis?' or 'Shouldn't you take your headphones off?') that would catch Aigis off guard. He and Yukari were ready to intervene with the fictitious story they had made up last night if that happened, although neither really wanted to be the one telling it because it involved saying that Aigis was an American exchange student of Greek heritage that spoke fluent Japanese. Minato had no idea as to how they were supposed to make that convincing so he was relieved when Toriumi began skimming through Aigis' profile.

_That's one part down. Now the fun of watching her interact with others comes. Oh boy._

He still believed that sending Aigis to school was a bad idea no matter what the Chairman said about how it would benefit his observations of her in a high pressure social environment and increase her own experience of the world. He knew from his own experience that transfer students were picked on quite regularly and if that were to happen to Aigis, she would say something and her cover would be blown. Yukari and Fuuka had supported him on this. Mitsuru, Akihiko and the Chairman didn't. In the end, they had voted on it, the result being a tie that was rendered pointless when Aigis herself spoke up and said she wanted to go because it would allow her to synchronize her schedule with everyone else.

"Let's see…" Toriumi said as she went through the profile. "Is there anything to…huh? A humanoid tactical weapon?"

Minato stiffened at those words and immediately tried to think of something to say that would distract the class. Nothing came to mind because nothing ever came to mind when you were panicking and for a moment, he feared that Aigis' time as a student was already over.

"Um sensei!" Yukari cried, raising her hand. "I think you should assign Aigis her seat now!"

Toriumi looked at Yukari as if the latter had consumed too much caffeine and closed the folder containing Aigis' profile. "Sure. Aigis, you can sit–"

But Aigis had already left the front of the room and moved to sit at the desk beside Minato.

"I would like to have this seat," Aigis said.

Yukari shot a questioning glance at Minato, who shrugged, before rounding on Aigis. "You can't sit there Aigis. That belongs to someone else who just happens to be absent today."

"That's the same as not being here," Toriumi said. "So she may have the seat if she wants it."

"Thank you Toriumi-san. This spot is perfect because it allows me to always be next to Minato-san."

Minato's eyes widened and Yukari swivelled to face them, her eyes blazing.

"Aigis!" Yukari snapped.

"What is it?" Aigis responded.

Yukari couldn't believe how thick headed Aigis was being but after noticing that everyone was looking at her, she flushed, turned around and looked down at the surface of her desk to avoid eye contact.

"My, aren't we just full of drama today?" Toriumi said. "Takeba, do us all a favour and save it for after school alright?"

Yukari nodded but didn't look up.

"Thank you. Now then, let's get on with it shall we?"

* * *

Ten minutes after the final lesson of the day, Minato's phone rang. Upon taking it out and seeing whose number it was, he exited his home room and entered the room serving as the Student Council headquarters. With no events today, the room was empty.

_Just as I expected_, Minato thought, sliding the door shut before flipping his phone open and answering the call.

"Yes Mitsuru-senpai?" Minato said.

"Hi. Sorry to let you know on such short notice but I'll need you to be at the hospital in an hour," Mitsuru said.

"Again? I thought you said you were going to give it a break."

"I did but…" There was a pause. "The faster we can get the answers out of her, the better prepared we will be when we face Strega again. We've already let them catch us off guard twice and–"

_You won't allow it to happen again_. He sighed, walked to the back of the room and looked out through the windows at the trail of students heading towards Port Island station. He admired her persistence but after attending more than half of the multiple interrogation sessions and knowing that Chidori was adamant in keeping her mouth shut every time, Minato wondered if there was any point in continuing.

"–I won't allow it to happen again. So please?" Mitsuru said.

"Alright. I'll come. Is Akihiko-senpai already on his way?"

"He won't be coming today. Instead, I've asked Yamagishi to come along and see if she can sense anything in Chidori's mind."

"Okay. By the way…"

"Hmm?"

He paused, thinking of whether or not to speak his mind. He did believe that Takaya or Jin storming into the hospital to rescue Chidori while Mitsuru was interviewing her was a very possible scenario that could happen at any moment. And if Takaya had been watching them since the operation in Shirakawa Boulevard, and maybe even before that, Minato was sure that his adversary was also keeping a close eye on Chidori.

"…don't let _her_ get the better of you this time."

Mitsuru chuckled. "Don't worry. If Yamagishi is unsuccessful, then I won't push my luck any further."

"You know, somehow I get the feeling that you'll still try to do it anyway."

"Yeah. But that's why I've asked you to come."

Minato felt his lips twitching into a smile. She'd cornered him again and in his mind, he could picture her smiling away with that mischievous look. "I'll see you soon then." He hung up and made his way to leave the room. When he slid the door open, he was startled to see Aigis standing in front of him.

"Aigis? What are you doing?" he asked.

"You left the classroom unannounced. I was concerned about your whereabouts so I decided to find you," she replied.

Minato looked up and down the hallway. There were a few students on both sides but they were all too busy chatting to take notice of them yet. Just to be sure that he didn't get caught being seen with a female student outside an empty room (because there was no doubt in Minato's mind that someone would get the wrong idea) he slid the door closed behind him and moved away from the Student Council room, gesturing for Aigis to follow him.

"Listen Aigis," he said as they walked back to their home room. "I know you may think that your uniform camouflages you, but that doesn't mean you can run off on your own. This isn't like Yakushima. There are plenty of people around here and most of them have a habit of jumping to the wrong conclusions very fast. So don't do anything suspicious. And don't say you need to be by my side unless I tell you to."

"I see. Shall I acknowledge you as a complete stranger in that case?"

Minato shook his head. "You don't have to go that far. Just…" He trailed off as he neared the entrance to their home room and heard a rather heated discussion going on inside.

"What's up with you today Takeba?" a girl asked.

"Yeah, you seem really pissed at that new student sitting next to Minato-kun," another girl added.

"I'm not pissed at her," Yukari said.

"Really? Then why were you telling her off?" the first girl asked.

"I think I know why. It's a case of a love triangle!" the second girl said.

There were several gasps at this.

"What?" Yukari said in a high-pitched voice. "No it's not!"

"Oh c'mon Yukari, there's no need to be shy," yet another girl spoke up. "We know you like Minato-kun."

Yukari scoffed. "Hey! It's nothing like that at all alright?! Besides, Minato-kun is already interested in somebody else and–"

There were even more gasps at this (some of them belonging to male students) and upon hearing that, Minato's heart sank. _And I thought Aigis would be the one spilling the beans today. _Knowing that walking into the home room now was like walking straight into enemy gunfire, he turned around and prepared to leave. There would be time to sort this out later (not that he wanted to flail around in this mess) and lie to his peers that probably wouldn't believe–

Aigis entered the home room.

Minato only realised it when he noticed she was no longer standing beside him and groaned. Now he would have to go in there or else there would be even more trouble.

Unfixable trouble.

Bracing himself for the onslaught of stares, Minato walked into the classroom. As expected, the room quieted down instantly and everyone turned to look at him. The very fact that he was the centre of attention again reminded him of the time Mitsuru had swung by his classroom and approached his desk all those months ago. He resisted a laugh. Things hadn't changed at all.

"M-Minato?!" Yukari said. Her cheeks were pink. "You d-didn't hear th-that did you?"

Minato glanced at Aigis, who had returned to her desk and appeared to be awaiting instructions, before meeting Yukari's gaze. He knew there were just two ways this could go – either pretend he hadn't heard it or come clean – and he knew which of the two Yukari preferred hearing. The decision seemed intuitive enough but there was something about going the predictable route that bothered him. Perhaps it was because doing so didn't solve the problem and all the blabbermouths would continue to speculate who he was interested in. And perhaps it was because the rumours that said blabbermouths would end up spreading were likely to find their way to those who believed that Mitsuru was out of his league. If that happened, it wouldn't be long before _that _idiot and his goons started hounding him again and possibly reveal the secret that would send the school into chaos.

"Actually I did hear that," Minato said, causing Yukari to put a hand over her mouth. "And to tell all you people the truth, it is a love triangle. Aigis has had her eye on me way back when we were both in our previous school and once I transferred, she just had to transfer as well because she can't stand not having me around. Right Aigis?" He gave her a look that he hoped signalled 'please say your usual line' and prayed that she would interpret it correctly.

"That is true," Aigis said with a nod. "My highest priority was and is to be with Minato-san."

"Thank you Aigis." Looking back at his bewildered and stupefied audience, Minato continued, "Now when I transferred here, I thought I would never get over Aigis. But with no knowledge of whether I'd see her again, I decided to start anew and sure enough, I found someone who caught my eye. And as I've told Aigis a few minutes ago, I believe I've caught hers. Otherwise why else would she be denying the truth?" He shifted his gaze to Yukari, who was blushing furiously, and gestured for her to follow him. "Yukari, may I speak with you outside please?"

All the other girls in the class squealed in excitement at this and the boys were watching Minato as if he were some master pickup artist. The girl that could tell Junpei off with a single stare on the other hand, couldn't find the words to answer and nodded slowly. She followed Minato out of the classroom and to the west end of the hallway where the stairs were located. When they got there, Yukari gave Minato a look that would've sent Junpei running for his life.

"Minato, what the hell do you–" she started.

"Before you go off and yell at me, hear me out first alright?" Minato interrupted.

Yukari pursed her lips. Oh how she wanted to give him a piece of her mind right now! "Fine. But make it quick."

"I only said what I said to shut them up. Okay? Can you imagine what would happen if I had let them speculate?"

Yukari blinked. That was it? Minato just wanted the students to shut up? It was a relief that his reasoning was so simple but Yukari couldn't help feeling a tad disappointed. She'd expected him to come up with some well-crafted story that was just as believable as the nonsense he'd told everyone in the classroom. "Well, it would've given you more trouble to deal with."

"Not only that, they could've end up spreading rumours about who I'm really interested in and one way or another, someone's going to bring up Mitsuru-senpai and– "

"–if all her admirers find out, they're gonna go crazy and start looking for you." Yukari nodded a few times, finally understanding his logic. Somewhat.

"Right. And I don't need that."

"Sure. Okay. But what do you plan on achieving by saying we like each other?"

Minato averted his gaze on her momentarily. Yukari caught the flicker in his eyes as he did so and gasped. "No. Don't tell me it's what I think it is."

"I'm afraid it is what you think it is."

Yukari sighed and there was silence between the two for a moment. Several students passed them to go down the stairs and already both of them could feel that they were being watched and critiqued.

"Have you even thought about how you're going to explain this to senpai?" Yukari asked.

"Honestly, no," Minato said. "But I'm sure she'll understand since it'll help keep the relationship a secret. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Well yeah, but I'm worried that with all the time you spend hanging around me, she might, I don't know, get a little jealous or something."

Minato folded his arms. While it was possible, he doubted Mitsuru would get jealous, especially if she knew beforehand what he and Yukari would be doing and why they would be doing it. "Don't worry about that. Besides, it's not like we have to do anything over the top. All we need is to emphasize our eye contact, say some clichéd love quotes from a movie and maybe be seen holding hands." When Yukari raised an eyebrow at this, he quickly added, "I'll run it by her tonight. If she doesn't like the idea, then I'll just let everyone know that you shot me down."

"You know, I get the feeling that you're gonna enjoy this a little too much." A small smile forced itself onto Yukari's lips. "But let's try it. It's kinda my fault that we're in this mess so I guess this is how I'll make up for my mistake."

Minato returned a smile.

"So now that we got that sorted, what was that phone call for?"

"It was Mitsuru-senpai. She needs me at the hospital."

"Again? I thought she said she was going to take a break."

"That's what I told her." Minato shook his head. "I don't know why she's so persistent. Chidori's refused to speak every time we try to ask her something and even with Fuuka coming along, I can't see that changing unless…" A sudden realization dawned on him. "Do you know where Junpei is?"

Yukari, surprised by the question, took a few moments to recall the last time she had seen Junpei. "He left the classroom when you were out taking that phone call. I think I saw Kenji and Kazushi with him, saying something about going to the karaoke bar."

"Karaoke huh?"

"Mhmm. I don't know if he took their offer though."

"Well I guess that's the best place to start looking for him." He turned to go down the stairs and was halfway down them when Yukari spoke.

"Hang on sec, what does Junpei have to do with Chidori?" she asked. "And why do you need to find him?"

Without looking at her, Minato answered: "Because he's the key in getting Chidori to speak."

* * *

Yukari had been right about Kenji and Kazushi accompanying Junpei but it was the arcade in Paulownia Mall (formerly known as Game Panic) that they were at instead of the karaoke bar. After his staged performance that cast a stunned silence on his classmates, the whimsical jingles of the claw machines and the constant loops of the phrase 'You are humanity's last hope' from a nearby shooter game came as something of a relief for Minato. Where most people would've found the incessant noise loud and annoying, Minato thought it was calming and actually quite pleasant. He wasn't sure why this was the case and as he ventured further into the arcade, passing air hockey tables and driving simulators, the thought of being an ordinary student who'd spend time here fighting virtual enemies with friends instead of in real life popped into his head. With countless hours spent in battle, the very prospect was foreign to him and Minato couldn't even imagine it.

_What kind of person would spend most of their afternoons here? _

The answer arrived when he saw Junpei watching Kazushi and Kenji duke it out on the arcade's copy of _Dance Dance Revolution X_. Minato sighed, wondering how he had not thought of them earlier, and made his way over.

Junpei saw him approach from the corner of his eye, turned and raised a hand in greeting. "Sup dude! Hey, since you're here, you wanna show these two idiots how it's done on the dance floor?"

"What are you talking about Junpei?" Kenji said. "You lost to both of us the last time you played."

"The hell I did!" Junpei said. "You guys are just butt hurt from missing your combos all the time."

Minato glanced at Kenji and Kazushi, who both looked beat, then at the game's screen, which was currently displaying their scores, and saw that their combo count was abysmal and the number of 'misses' were more than twice the total of the 'goods', 'greats' and 'perfects'. He wondered if Kenji and Kazushi were actually playing the game or just goofing around and dancing to the music before reminding himself what he was here for.

"So whaddya think man?" Junpei asked. "You up for it?"

"I might have to give it a pass," Minato said. "I've got to be at the hospital again."

At the mention of the word _hospital_, Junpei's face darkened. "Oh."

"Are you going to come along and visit her this time?"

Junpei looked at Kazushi and Kenji, told them to play another round, and motioned for Minato to follow him. They exited the arcade and walked to stand beside the central wishing fountain.

"Why would I want to do that?" Junpei asked.

"Because she's been asking to see you."

Junpei's eyes widened and Minato did his best to control his poker face. Telling the lie had been a risky move but Minato knew that it was the only way to get that reaction out of Junpei. No other answer would've sufficed. The effect didn't last long however, and Junpei regained his composure after a few seconds.

"She wouldn't ask that," he said, shaking his head. "And from what I've heard, she hasn't even spoken a word, let alone asked to see me. So you're bluffing."

"Even if I am, isn't it time you paid her a visit?" Minato countered. When Junpei didn't respond, he continued, "Although I'm working off an assumption here, I'm willing to bet one hundred percent that whatever problem you're going through will be solved by talking to her."

"Oh yeah? And what problem do I have Sherlock?"

Minato took a moment to collect his thoughts. He hadn't wanted to announce his suspicion that something was up between Junpei and Chidori so early but it was unlikely that he'd get another chance to do so. _And I want…no…need him to start talking to her ASAP so we can find out what Jin was doing at the dorm. _

"You might have told everyone at the debriefing that she was just a friend you met up with after school but from the way you've been acting these past few days, I think what she means to you is the same as what Mitsuru-senpai means to me. Or if not, something similar."

Junpei flinched at hearing this and Minato knew his words had hit home. He waited to see if his friend would say anything or launch into a state of denial, and as he switched his gaze over to the fountain where Elizabeth had dumped a million Yen, that was when Junpei chuckled.

"Heh. And here I thought I could hide it from you guys," Junpei said. He took his cap off, revealing his dark buzz cut hair, and sighed. "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's pretty hard to hide this kinda stuff isn't it?"

Minato, knowing firsthand about keeping your secrets hidden, agreed.

"You wanna know somethin' dude? When I first saw her, I really thought she could be someone special. Someone who'd give me a reason to keep going forward and to keep fighting even if Takaya is right and our powers are gonna disappear. Because even if that did happen, I'd still have her around."

"So? She can still be that special someone you know."

Junpei looked at Minato as if the latter had believed UFOs were real. "Are you shittin' me? She's with Strega! She's the enemy! Do you really think I would give her another chance or even trust her again after what she did to me?" His voice grew louder with each statement and several people in the vicinity looked at them. "Well I won't. And don't bother tellin' me otherwise." He put his cap back on, turned and prepared to march back into the arcade.

"That's it?" Minato asked. He was well aware that he'd be late in arriving at the hospital but he wasn't going to let the confrontation end like this. "You're just going to walk away from one of the best things that's ever happened to you?"

Junpei stopped and looked over his shoulder. "That's right. Because unlike you, dudes like me have luck that ain't worth shit. Instead of getting to date the person who lives in the same dorm as us, we either find them by chance or not at all. And even if we do find them, our luck is so shit that something always happens and screws it up. Of course, I doubt you'd understand since you have the luck to make just about everything in the world go your way."

Minato bit his lip in an attempt to stifle his retort. There was little point in trying to argue because Junpei was right. Minato would never fully understand what it would be like in his friend's shoes and that worked both ways.

"You know, you're probably right," he said. "I don't and won't understand and that's fine because that's what makes us who we are. But let me tell you this: relationships are hard work. You may think Mitsuru and I have it easy but it's a nightmare trying to find the time to go out with her. And once we do, we have to take precautions and plan where and how we'll meet so that we aren't suspected by those idiots at school. It's stressful, yes, but I keep doing it anyway because when you care about someone, you do everything you can to make it work and you don't stop. So if you still feel that Chidori means as much to you as Mitsuru means to me, then you should go do something about it."

Junpei opened his mouth and closed it, stunned at his friend's impromptu speech. He remained in that state for a few moments even after Minato had turned around and left for the hospital, and was brought back to reality when Kenji and Kazushi came out of the arcade.

"Hey dude, you alright?" Kazushi asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Junpei replied. "C'mon, let's get back to it."

The three of them returned to the arcade. Before stepping inside, Junpei glanced at where Minato was now going through the revolving doors and muttered to himself, "You just think you know everything."

* * *

Mitsuru paced the empty hallway outside Chidori's room in the hospital. It was all she could do to relieve some of the stress and anticipation while waiting for the doctors to finish their afternoon check-up on Chidori, and for Minato and Fuuka to arrive. Even though she left Gekkoukan an hour after the final bell rang, she didn't expect that she'd have to wait a good ten minutes before gaining an audience with Chidori. Nor did she expect to be the first one at the hospital. She supposed that both Minato and Fuuka had things to take care of before meeting although what those things could possibly be, Mitsuru could not guess because in the past week, her mind had been completely occupied.

First, there was learning of Akihiko's crisis with Shinjiro. Not long after the previous operation, he had told her about the Persona suppressant pills Shinjiro was taking and the potential side effects it had. Like Akihiko, she too had heard of these pills but also like Akihiko, she'd thought they were nothing more than an urban legend. So upon hearing this news, Mitsuru didn't know what to think. She knew Shinjiro loved keeping things to himself – a quality that she knew all too well – and if he had managed to keep this drug addiction a secret since the accident two years ago, even from Akihiko, then he obviously didn't want anyone finding out about it. While that was fine, it did raise the question of where Shinjiro was getting these pills from and neither Mitsuru nor Akihiko had been able to figure out the answer.

Normally, a loose end like that would have stolen her attention for a few days but despite her distress at the entire matter (which was nowhere near the level of Akihiko), Mitsuru knew it was more prudent to spend time trying to determine what Chidori and Jin had been doing at the dorm instead of helping the boxer research for any known cure for the pills' side effects. She was ashamed at feeling that this was more important. But it was the truth. As the leader of S.E.E.S., keeping everyone safe was her responsibility and she would ensure that the dorm would not be further compromised. She supposed she had failed to prevent Junpei from being apprehended but after hearing his confession at the debriefing and how he had already known Chidori for several weeks, it was easy to understand how and why Strega had decided to target him. The only question remaining was why they had done so in the first place and that was what brought her to the hospital on this sunny afternoon and the days preceding it.

Well actually there was another reason for her interest in questioning Chidori and speaking with Minato over the phone reminded her why she'd immersed herself in this. She had given what he said some thought – that she should take a break from interviewing – and although she agreed with his suggestion, she knew focusing her attention on this was the only thing that could take her mind off the growing problem of whether to tell him about her fiancé.

_Or whether to tell my fiancé about Arisato_, she thought and shivered.

The idea of telling either of them about the other frightened her but what was even more worrying were the doubts that came packaged with every date she went on with Minato. Although she always looked forward to going out with him on this culinary journey through Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island, Mitsuru couldn't help wondering if their relationship was just for the short term and would slowly dissolve like a piece of candy once she graduated. Because between her university studies and helping her father run the Kirijo Group, finding time to spend with Minato would be difficult. It would have been easy if she were someone like Yukari or Fuuka, who didn't have to bear the burden of being the future Chairwoman of the Kirijo Group, but that was not the case. Whether she liked it or not, she would be the future leader of the Group. And she would be married – if not to her current fiancé then to some other rich businessmen because that was life in corporate Japan. There was little to no room for women to hold a position of power and if her father had to step down for whatever reason, she knew the members of the board would plot and try to remove her from office unless she consorted with the marriage that they would propose. She stopped pacing, leaned against the wall and sighed.

_Maybe choosing to go out with my fiancé is a better use of my spare time. Even if he is nothing more than a money obsessed freak, it will be easier for me in the long term. And who knows? We might even come to lo–_

Mitsuru cut that thought off as she heard movement from her left. She looked in that direction and saw Minato and Fuuka approaching.

"Sorry we're late senpai," Fuuka said. "I had to stay back and help Natsuki out with a couple of things. And Minato…um…"

"Yes?" Mitsuru said, switching her gaze to him.

"Let's just say that I'm in a bit of predicament because of Yukari," Minato said with a slight chuckle. "I'll tell you later tonight."

Mitsuru was about to give him her 'what-wrong-thing-have-you-done-now' stare, a look she often gave Akihiko, when the door to Chidori's room slid open and two nurses and a doctor stepped out. The doctor regarded Minato and Fuuka briefly before turning to Mitsuru.

"Here again Miss Kirijo?" the doctor said.

"Unfortunately," Mitsuru said. "How is she doing today?"

"She has yet to speak if that's what you were asking. Exactly how long were you planning to keep her here again?"

Mitsuru took a moment before answering. She knew that Chidori couldn't stay here forever but releasing her was not an option either. The gothic girl would just waltz right back into the hands of Strega and whatever advantage gained from separating her from Takaya and Jin would be lost.

"Until she gives us the information we need," Mitsuru answered. "Only then will we decide what to do with her next."

"I see. Well then for both our sakes, I hope today is the day she starts talking. Not fully cooperating with people who are trying to help can really wear out your patience." The doctor then led his two nurses down the hallway to where the reception was.

Once they were out of sight, Fuuka said, "Um, we're still going to keep Chidori here right? Even after she's told us what we need to know?"

"There really isn't much of a choice," Mitsuru said. "If she was already allied with Strega before we met them for the first time, then it is likely that her powers are similar to yours Yamagishi."

"You really think so?"

"It's definitely plausible," Minato said. "It makes sense because there's no way Takaya and Jin would have located that Shadow underground. Both of their Personas are primarily combat-oriented."

Mitsuru nodded. "So if that is the case, then we cannot let Strega take her back. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need her to speak first."

With that, the three of them entered the room. Golden hues of afternoon sunlight shone through the windows, brightening and simultaneously casting shadows of Chidori and the various objects in the room – a square table with two chairs and a small TV that sat atop a cabinet. Chidori, who was dressed in a plain blue hospital gown, took no notice of them as they gathered around her bed and continued to stare at the wall, her eyes blank.

"Alright Chidori," Mitsuru said. "You're probably tired of hearing me ask you questions so today, I'll keep it brief." She glanced at Minato, who returned a reassuring smile, gazed into Chidori's eyes and asked, "What were you and your friend doing at the dorm?"

Chidori didn't answer.

Mitsuru waited a few seconds in case the gothic girl was thinking of a response. After a minute of silence, she turned to Fuuka. "Can you sense anything?"

"I'll try," Fuuka said. She concentrated, channeled her mental energy into probing Chidori's mind, and recoiled at once. "It's no use. She's blocked off any means of communicating with her mind. I'm sorry."

"That's quite alright Yamagishi." To Chidori, Mitsuru said, "For your information, we aren't keeping you here because we hate you. We're doing it because we want to avoid unnecessary confrontation. So you're not doing yourself any favours by refusing to speak. In fact, it means that you'll have to stay here longer."

Any response Mitsuru had hoped to obtain out of that comment was gone when Chidori gave her a blank stare. She sighed. "Well that settles it. There's no reasoning with her. Come on you two, let's go." She turned and headed for the door, Fuuka following suit.

"Hang on a minute," Minato said, causing both Mitsuru and Fuuka to stop. "I've got an idea."

Mitsuru watched him move toward Chidori, wondering what exactly he could do to make her speak that Mitsuru hadn't tried already.

"Chidori, you may not want to tell us about what you were doing and what Strega's plans are and that's fine," Minato said. "I don't expect you to and if I was in the same position, I wouldn't do it either. But if I told you Junpei is on his way here to see you, what would you say?"

Chidori's eyes widened. "He's…coming…here?"

Mitsuru felt her jaw drop. It was the first reaction they'd seen from Chidori in the past week that she had been at the hospital and while it was minor, it was enough for Mitsuru to beat herself over not thinking of the connection Junpei and Chidori had and how she could've weaved that into a question.

"He might be," Minato said. "I just wanted to give you a heads up in case he does. You have a good afternoon now." He turned and gestured for all of them to leave the room before either Mitsuru or Fuuka could say a word.

Once they were outside and Chidori's door was closed, Mitsuru pivoted and faced Minato.

"Why didn't you let me speak with her?" she asked in a stern voice as they moved down the hallway. She never thought she'd have to use such a tone on him but after spending the past week trying to get Chidori to speak and failing on every attempt, Mitsuru was a trifle frustrated that Minato had done it so easily.

"Because she wouldn't have said anything more," Minato responded. "Trust me when I say the only person that can speak to her is Junpei. We have to let him handle this."

Seeing the confidence in his eyes, Mitsuru backed down. From experience, she knew better than to go against his word or ignore it completely and one glance at Fuuka reminded her of what happened the last time she had done so. "Okay. If that's what you think will work then we'll try that. Still, how can you be so sure that Iori will come?"

Minato shrugged. "I said some things to him earlier. I don't know if it was enough to change his mind but all we can do is hope for the best."

Mitsuru nodded, though on the inside, she wished she could share his confidence.

* * *

Chidori watched the three of them leave. It was an automatic thing to do, albeit a necessary one in maintaining her stolidness while she pondered over Minato's claim that Junpei was coming to visit. It annoyed her that the mere mention of his name cracked her composure and forced her to speak – she had almost gone a week without talking to anyone – and she wished that Takaya hadn't forced her to continue meeting Junpei. Sure she did gain Junpei's trust and in doing so, accomplished what they had set out to do regarding the dorm but was that worth having these weird feelings float around in her chest? Chidori didn't think so.

_Well I doubt he'll come_, she thought. _He probably doesn't want to have anything to do with me after what I've done. But even so, why do I want to see him? _

_ It's because you like him_, the irrational voice said in her mind. _Can't you admit that to yourself?_

_ No, I can't _the rational voice said_. I won't. What would Takaya think if I did?_

That thought was the most frightening and angry with it all, she stomped on those feelings and reminded herself that her loyalty belonged to Strega. The moment she did, sharp stabs of pain attacked her head and chest. Groaning, Chidori closed her eyes and clasped her head.

_No! Please Medea! Not now!_

But her Persona wasn't going to adhere to any of her pleas and materialized with a red flash. Medea, a humanoid shaped being with the head of a ram, red limbs and a black feminine torso, grabbed Chidori's throat and squeezed it.

Chidori stretched her right arm towards a medical push trolley that was beside her bed but could not reach the small bottle that contained the solution to this problem. She tried to scream for help but all she could manage was a strangled cry that would go unnoticed from the outside. Her last thought before the world started fading to black was of Junpei and how much she wanted see him.

* * *

Junpei approached the hospital.

He had left the arcade not long after Minato did and as he moved through the streets, passing residential complexes, boutique shops and ramen bars, he could not stop thinking about what Minato had said earlier about doing something to reconnect with Chidori. As right as Minato was and as much as Junpei admitted that there were similarities between his own feelings for Chidori and Minato's feelings for Mitsuru, he still felt that it was wrong to try and resolve matters with a girl who not only faked her interest in him, but also betrayed him by being an ally with Strega. If all the movies in the world were a template of life, then Junpei knew that becoming allies with your enemy, especially those with whom you had a relationship with, was a recipe for creating your downfall.

_So why am I taking his advice and coming here? _Junpei thought, stopping in front of the hospital doors. A triple storeyed building, it was another asset that belonged to the Kirijo Group, housing state-of-the-art equipment and talented staff members. _He may have difficulties in going out with her but he'll never understand the problem I have. Unless senpai pulls a fast one on us and declares she's with Strega too. _

That thought made him chuckle and he shook his head. Something absurd like that would never happen. _If it did, Minato would just find a way to make it work. And if it didn't, I'm sure he could look past that because the only thing that matters is being able to be with her. _

It occurred to Junpei that that was his answer. No matter how many times he told himself he would sever their relationship, the certain warm feeling that blazed whenever he was around Chidori continued to endure because at the end of the day, he did want to see her. He did want to talk to her and hear her lovely voice.

_ Screw it. Not listening to Minato back then was a mistake and I'm not gonna make it again. If this is what it takes to maintain a relationship, then I'll go and see her. _

Satisfied with his resolve, he entered the hospital. With dusk soon approaching, there were only a few people in the reception; the two ladies at the front desk, a young man with a cast on his left arm heading into the hallway with his doctor, and a janitor pushing a cleaning trolley. Junpei made his way to the front desk, asked for Chidori's room, and was instructed to go to room forty-one. Thanking the receptionist, he proceeded down the corridor that took him to the east wing.

_Alright dude, don't lose your cool and let what she did to you get to your head_ he thought as he walked. _If we're gonna make this right, then we hav– _

He cut off his thought and froze.

Standing up ahead in front of a room he presumed to be Chidori's, was Minato, Mitsuru and Fuuka. None of them had seen him yet for they had their backs turned to him but it wouldn't be long before they started heading his way to leave. Not wanting to be seen, Junpei retreated to the room nearest to him, slid the door open and slipped inside.

The room was empty.

Relieved that he hadn't disturbed some sick or injured person, he waited for his friends to pass. It took a few minutes before he heard their footsteps echo outside and leaning against the door, Junpei could make out fragments of their conversation.

"…speak with her?" Mitsuru asked.

"Trust me …only…Junpei…handle this…" Minato said.

Junpei couldn't quite catch the rest of what they were saying but from what he heard, it seemed that Minato wanted him to speak with Chidori for another reason. He wondered if it had anything to do with why Chidori had used him to gain access to the dorm, then filed that thought away. His current priority was to patch things up with Chidori and if what she and Jin were doing at the dorm was one of the topics raised, then he'd investigate further.

Once the sound of his friends' footfalls began to diminish, Junpei slowly slid the door back open and looked down the hallway from which he had come from. He waited until his friends were truly out of sight before continuing onward to room forty-one. Upon reaching her room, Junpei straightened his cap and took a deep breath.

_Alright. Here we go._

He entered the room.

And saw the red outline of an ethereal being strangling Chidori.

Junpei was stupefied but before he ran back down the hallway and yelled for help, he noticed Chidori clawing for a small bottle on a push trolley beside her bed. It was just out of her reach and realizing the danger, Junpei dashed forward. He grabbed the bottle, opened it and poured a single white pill out onto the trolley. The pill looked innocent enough but for a moment, Junpei hesitated. What if Chidori had been clawing at the wrong bottle (there were five other bottles on the trolley) and this pill didn't work? What if did more harm to her?

_There's no time for that now dude! You saw her reach out for this bottle so this pill's gotta be the one that works!_

With that, Junpei placed the pill into Chidori's open mouth. As soon as it came into contact with her tongue, the red glow flickered. Junpei watched as the Persona faded out of existence and when it was gone, he looked back at Chidori. She had swallowed the pill and was gasping for air.

_Thank god the pill worked. _

While waiting for her to recover, Junpei went to the small desk in the corner of the room, took the jug of water and filled a glass. He then went back to Chidori's side.

"Are you alright?" he asked, passing the glass over to her.

Chidori remained silent as she took the glass with shaky hands and drained it. Placing the glass on her lap, she gazed at Junpei, her expression neutral.

"It seems your friend was right about you coming," she said.

_Friend? She must mean Minato. _Again, he wondered what Minato was playing at in trying to get him and Chidori to talk.

"Really?" Junpei responded, a touch of anger in his voice. "Is that how you're gonna thank me for saving your life?"

"What are you talking about? I wasn't in any danger. Medea is my friend."

"Are you kiddin' me? That thing…no, your Persona was choking you! I thought you were going to die!"

Chidori fixed him a curious look. How she could remain as calm as…well as calm as Mitsuru would forever be a mystery to Junpei. "Why do you look so concerned? Death is nothing to be afraid of."

"What?"

"I said there is no reason to be afraid of death. Dying just means you don't open your eyes again. That's all."

Junpei wasn't sure if he was more speechless at walking in on her being strangled or hearing her interpretation of death. He did know however, that he wouldn't tolerate this behavior.

"Well I don't want you to die," he said. "You might not be afraid but that doesn't mean everyone else is. Besides, did you ever think about how that'd make the people close to you feel? Did you think about how it would make _me_ feel?" He walked over to peer out the window, feeling Chidori's gaze on his back. "I'll admit that I didn't want to come here because of what you did to me. But now I'm willing to look past it." He turned around and saw that she was giggling.

"You're so weird Junpei."

Hearing that soft yet mischievous tone in her voice caused him to smile. It had been a while since she had last called him weird but like how some girls expressed their emotion by saying 'You're an idiot', Junpei took this as a good sign.

He just hoped it would last.

* * *

"So she responded when you mentioned Junpei's name?"

Minato and Mitsuru nodded at the Chairman. It had been a couple of hours since their visit to the hospital and as soon as they returned to the dorm, Ikutsuki had called for a small meeting to be held in the control room later that evening.

"I doubt I'll be able to gather everyone together," Mitsuru had said over the phone. "All the boys except Arisato aren't in the best state of mind at the moment and Yamagishi and Takeba say they have things they need to do."

"Oh you don't need to invite everybody," the Chairman had replied. "It's just you and Minato I want to speak with."

And that was true, because all Ikutsuki wanted was an update on how things were going with all the team issues they were facing.

"We didn't go any further than that however," Mitsuru said, "because Arisato and I came to an agreement that it would be best if we let Iori handle the matter. Of course, whether he's going to still remains to be seen but," she glanced at Minato, "Arisato thinks it's quite likely." She then went on to explain how before coming to the hospital, Minato had gone and suggested for Junpei to go and see Chidori in order to get over his moodiness.

When the story was done, Ikutsuki clapped his hands together and looked at Minato. "That was very clever of you. And I agree that Junpei will probably visit her."

"Do you think we ought to tell him what we want from her?" Mitsuru asked.

"I think we should let him patch things up with her first," Minato said. "There's no point telling him to start asking what she was doing at the dorm with Jin because she'll think we're using Junpei to get to her and may refuse to talk altogether."

Ikutsuki folded his arms. "While that may be true, it is important that we have that information as soon as possible because if anything happens to the dorm, I'll be personally liable and I don't think Takeharu would be impressed knowing that I've been careless and put you all in danger. Hmm. I suppose we'll play it by ear for now." A smirk crossed his lips. "That reminds me, Mitsuru, I think you should seriously consider getting Minato a position at the Kirijo Group for a future career. The company could certainly benefit by having someone as resourceful as him."

Both Minato and Mitsuru's eyes widened at this.

"What?" Mitsuru asked, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.

"Would she be able to even do something like that?" Minato asked.

"I don't see why not," the Chairman said, smiling. "Perhaps Mitsuru may not have the influence but Takeharu and I could certainly pull some strings if you're interested."

Minato didn't know what to say. With all his focus on passing exams and fighting Shadows, he hadn't given his future much thought. He supposed that working for the Kirijo Group was a good place as any to start but wondered if the Chairman spoke the truth or was just joking. He looked at Mitsuru, who seemed uncomfortable at the whole topic.

"What do you think about this?" he asked her.

"Well…it's true that my father is quite fond of you so I don't doubt it would be out of the question. But can we save this discussion for later and get back to the agenda?" Addressing the Chairman, she asked, "How goes your research on those suppressant pills Aragaki has been taking?"

Ikutsuki folded his arms. "I'm afraid there isn't much good news to share. Once a Persona-user starts the dosage, they must continue or else they will face death by their Persona. Ironically enough, continuous dosage will lead to fatal side effects. I'm sorry to say this but there is nothing we can do for Shinjiro."

"So there really is no way to save him." She looked down at her lap and clenched her fists, deciding whether to tell Akihiko of this. She had known of the side effects but wasn't expecting to learn that there was no cure. And while telling Akihiko would put him out of his misery, it could also make him even more dejected than he already was.

"You mustn't forget Mitsuru that it was Shinjiro's own choice to go down this path. So don't think that this is your fault." The Chairman stood up. "Anyway, I have an early meeting tomorrow so I must be going now. Goodnight to you both."

Once he left, Minato looked at Mitsuru, who seemed to be contemplating something in great detail. He could only imagine what she, Akihiko, and Ken were going through right now. Shinjiro had played a big part in shaping each of their lives and even Minato admitted it was hard to accept the prospect of his eventual death. Moving closer to Mitsuru, he placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to gaze at him with sombre eyes.

"The Chairman's right you know," Minato said before Mitsuru could open her mouth. "Don't blame yourself for this."

"I know. You don't need to remind me." She cleared her throat and got up. "So, what is this predicament you're in with Takeba?"

The sudden change in subject caught Minato by surprise and he chuckled as he stood up. "Right. I was going to tell you about that wasn't I?" Choosing his words carefully so that there wouldn't be any misunderstandings, Minato explained everything as they left the control room and went down the stairs. How Yukari had accidentally said that he was already interested in someone. How he had gone and announced that the person he was interested in was Yukari to avoid speculation and direct attention away from him and Mitsuru working together in the Student Council. And how he had negotiated with Yukari about pretending to be in a relationship so that the majority of the grade could see it was true and not think otherwise.

"Are you going to be okay with that?" Minato asked at the end of it. They were standing in front of his room.

Mitsuru remained silent for a few moments. Then she said, "I think I'll be fine. It if helps to provide more cover for _us_ then by all means. Just," she moved closer and took his hand, "promise me that whatever you need to do to keep up the act is kept to a minimum. I know we're not in an official relationship or anything so I probably shouldn't tell you what you can and can't do but, it'll make me feel better knowing that you aren't…um…fooling around with her."

Minato considered this. It was a fair price to pay but he hadn't expected that she would actually feel a little jealous. _Maybe Yukari and I should rethink how we'll present ourselves_, he thought.

"I promise I won't allow anything to happen," he said, squeezing her hand. "And I'll let Yukari know as well."

"Thanks," Mitsuru said. The smile on her lips was a sad one and she sighed. "If only _this_ didn't have to be so difficult. We would be able to freely go and do things together without scrutiny. I guess that's one thing my father didn't have to deal with."

"You mean your father never dated?"

She released his hand. "Oh no he did. It's just that none of them worked out and in the end, he got himself into an arranged marriage with my mother, the CEO of a company that we acquired."

"You know, maybe me getting something at the Kirijo Group would be a good idea. I know we probably won't work together but at least we'd be able to do things without having to be so secretive. Wouldn't you say so?"

This forced a small chuckle out of Mitsuru and Minato smiled. He hated it when Mitsuru was down and was glad to see her lighten up.

"The Chairman really motivated you didn't he?" she said. "Well I suppose it would make things easier. But is that what you really want to do after graduating? I mean, I will fully support you with whatever decision you make but I don't want to be the one holding you back from any ambition or plans you have for the future." She turned to leave but upon seeing Minato's thoughtful look, she added, "Anyway, it's just something to think about. I'll see you tomorrow."

She left and Minato watched her go, wondering if he should have given an answer.

* * *

He was still wondering about this when Pharos appeared during the Dark Hour that night. Lying on his bed, Minato didn't have to avert his eyes from the ceiling to know that the young boy with the striped pyjamas was sitting on his study chair. It had become the boy's favorite place in the room.

"Oh, you're already awake," Pharos said, looking at Minato curiously with his large blue eyes.

"You seem surprised," Minato said.

"Well when I come and visit, you're normally asleep. Sometimes you wake and we talk, sometimes you don't."

Minato glanced at Pharos, his thoughts on Mitsuru and Yukari coming to a temporary stop. "Are you saying you've been watching me sleep all this time?"

The boy evaded his question and threw one of his own. "Something's bothering you isn't it? You're…" the boy frowned as he searched for the right word, "afraid."

Minato flinched. Pharos had never said anything of the sort before; the boy's previous visits were reminders that another full moon was fast approaching.

"Afraid? What would I be afraid of?"

"You're afraid that you might lose the place you shine the brightest, the place that gave you the chance to meet and reunite with the people who're dear to you." He teleported and sat on the bed. "You're afraid that what you do will push _her_ away."

"Mitsuru? That can't be right. The fact that she's concerned about what I'm doing means we're getting closer and becoming more than just good friends."

"Perhaps. I only want you to be careful. The poisonous flowers in the garden opposite yours have already bloomed and it won't be long before the one in your garden blooms as well."

_Here we go again, another one of his cryptic messages_, Minato thought. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't really know," Pharos said, looking at his feet. "It's something I remembered. Just like how I remember something about the coming of the end. It won't be brought about by anyone in particular, but because there are many people who wish for it as if it was destined from the start." He gazed at Minato. "It's quite a strange thing to wish for isn't it?"

"I think it's more troubling than strange. But why wait until now to tell me all of this?"

"As I said, I've only started to recall some of my memories. They've been slowly coming back to me over time but I couldn't make any sense of them until tonight. It's like how you can't remember much of your childhood. I'm sure once you do though, you'll want to let me know. Because that's what friends do right?"

He disappeared and Minato was left alone without being able to answer again.


End file.
